Xov. 1895.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 463 



strikes the key-note of several important researches. 

 Obeying his own injunction, he examined the ovule of 

 various angiosperms and gymnosperms in the young state, 

 with the result that he was the first to distinguish the 

 integuments from the nucleus (nucellus) of the ovule ; he 

 showed that the hilum represents the point of attachment, 

 and recognised the micropyle as a canal leading to the apex 

 of the nucleus ; he noted the different relative positions of 

 these parts in different types of ovule, and that the embryo 

 is always attached at the point in the embryo-sac (amnion) 

 nearest to the micropyle, while its root points towards the 

 micropyle. He also recognised the true nature of the 

 endosperm, perisperm, and arillus. In fact, though many 

 of these parts had previously been the subject of less strict 

 observation. Brown may be said to have laid out the broad 

 lines of the morphology of the ovule, in a manner the per- 

 manence of which has been the sufficient proof of its 

 excellence. 



But the examination of the angiospermic ovule led him 

 to that of the gymnosperms, and it was he who established 

 on a comparative basis the view that what had previously 

 passed as a female flower is really a naked ovule. It doubt- 

 less required Hofmeister's detailed and brilliant work to 

 fully develop the importance of the comparison ; never- 

 theless it was Brown who first showed the way. Moreover, 

 his first communication on this subject in 1825 to the 

 Linnsean Society, was followed by one read before the 

 British Association in Edinburgh in 1834, in which he 

 describes and figures the endosperm (" amnios or albu- 

 men "), the archegonia, the " funiculi or suspensors," and 

 numerous embryos. In fact, though it remained for 

 Hofmeister to perfect the comparisons and fill in the 

 details, Brown was the pioneer in this most important 

 line of research. 



The pollen, also, from time to time occupied his atten- 

 tion. His paper " On the Organs and Mode of Fecun- 

 dation in Orchidese and Asclepiadene," contains many 

 interesting observations. In a footnote (p. 514) we find 

 a description of the division of the pollen-mother-cells of 

 Tradescantia to form the tetrads, and of the maturing of 

 the pollen grain. On p. 507, he confirms the observa- 



