NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND FERNS. 363 



cell of the archegonium of Chara (oogonium, Celakovsky) and the 

 ovule of a Phanerogam are both phyllomes, and that the invest- 

 ment of the former is comparable to that of the latter (ovary), still 

 this fact does not necessarily establish the existence of a close 

 relationship) between these plants. Do we not find among Mosses 

 archegonia which are morphologically phyllomes, and p.re not these 

 organs usually invested by leaves forming either a perichsetium or 

 a perigynium ? It is scarcely necessary to go so far as to the 

 Phanerogams to find female organs w^hich resemble those of the 

 Cha racem in tlieu' mo^'x^hological nature when they occur close at 

 hand in the Muscmece. The same remarks may be applied also to 

 the male organs. It cannot be doubted that the antheridium of 

 Chara much more closely resembles that of a Moss (which may be 

 also a phyllome) than the stamen of a flowering plant. Caruel 

 himself admits that great differences exist between the structure of 

 the male organ of Chara and that of a stamen. This, together 

 mth the difi:"erences in the embryology of the two groups, suffices 

 to keep them distinct. 



The i3ermissibility of such a comparison of the reproductive 

 organs of Chara and those of a Phanerogam is very questionable. 

 It is admitted on all hands that these organs in Chara belong to 

 the oophore, whereas the ovules and stamens of a Phanerogam 

 belong to the sporophore. It is difficult to imagine from what 

 morphological stand-point it is that Caruel i^roceeds to institute it. 



The ground upon which it is sought to establish the existence of 

 a close relationship between the CharacecB and the Phanerogamce 

 cannot be considered to be satisfactory, and if the interpretation 

 of the facts of the life-history of Chara w^hich is given in this paper 

 be the correct one, they lose even the appearance of plausibility. 



NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND FEKNS. 



By H. C. Field, Esq. 



[The follomng notes, made from long observation of the Fenis 

 of New Zealand in their native localities, were sent by Mr. Field 

 in a letter merely intended for my own private instruction ; but 

 they contain so much that is interesting and valuable that I have 

 asked^and^obtained his permission to publish them. — J. G. Baker.] 



I think Gleichenia circinnata and fJ-. dicarpa are merely forms 

 of the same plant. Here the lobes of both fold tightly back, so as 

 to cover the sori, the only apparent difference being that, while 

 those of the former are reflexed symmetrically, so as to cover all 

 up closely, those of the latter fold back loi^sidedly, so as to leave a 

 sort of deep cup-shaped cavity on the upper side of each lobe, or 

 perhaps I should rather say on the side of it farthest removed from 

 the stipes of the frond. I hardly fancy this distinction sufficient 

 to justify their being separately classed ; and moreover, they 



