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Vegetative reproduction in the New England Frullaniae 
ANNIE LORENZ 
Very little emphasis has as yet been laid upon the occurrence 
of adventive branches, or propagula, in the genus Frullania, 
perhaps for the reason that such propagula, at least in the New 
England species examined by the writer, offer no taxonomic dis- 
tinctions, as do the gemmae in Metzgeria. In any case, but few 
references to such propagula can be found in the previous litera- 
ture. 
Dr. Evans (’97), in his monograph on the North American 
Frullaniae, while he makes no reference to such propagula in his 
introductory remarks, describes the upright flagellate branches of 
F. Bolanderi Aust. but does not ascribe to them any characters of 
vegetative reproduction. In comparing this species with F, 
eboracensis Gottsche, he says: ‘‘F. eboracensis occasionally pro- 
duces flagella-like branches, but they are always leafy, and are a 
rather unusual feature of the plant’; and in the description of 
F. eboracensis, ‘sometimes flagelliferous.”’ 
However, in his Hepaticae of Puerto Rico (’02—) he describes a 
Variety of adventive branches, propagula and gemmae, arising 
from different situations upon the plant. Of these, the propagula 
“rising from the modified leaves of Rectolejeunea flagelliformis 
vans and Cheilolejeunea decidua (Spruce) Evans bear the most 
aos to those of the species of Frullania which are discussed 
ow. 
While a sharp distinction can hardly be made between gemmae 
and adventive branches or propagula, a gemma, as a rule, grows 
‘0 a specific size while still united to the parent plant and germi- 
nates after being shed. An adventive branch, on the other hand, 
Whether arising from a “Brutblatt” or from some other position 
Re the plant, begins as an irregular mass of cells and may develop 
@ branch with several leaves before becoming detached. 
Berggren (65) describes in careful detail the propagula upon 
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