344 
The second Root. 
In contrast to the subgenus Eubotrychium, B. obliquum deve- : 
lops its second root at a much later stage, — as the third leaf 
begins to develop. The position of this root is found to be 
the same in all the cases investigated. This position is a very 
peculiar one and has never been found in the Ophioglossaceae. 
It is, however, known to occur in the Marattiaceae, a fact that 
favors a closer relationship between the two groups. According 
to Campbell (9) the root in Danaea origimates in the angle 
between the vascular bundles of the colyledon and the second 
leaf. The initials of the second root in B. obliquum are devel- 
oped in a similar position. They occur, as four plants show, 
between the bundles of cotyledon and second leaf, very close 
to the apical cell. It is impossible to make out the origin of 
these initials as in this part of the root the endodermis has 
disappeared. The vascular system of the second root was not 
advanced enough to allow any conclusions as to its future. 
Probably it will unite with the trace of the second leaf. Photo- 
graph 3 shows a transverse section of the second root. À con- 
spicuous apical cell is visible and a rather large calyptra sur- 
rounding it 1s also visible. À reconstruction of this plant is 
given in Fig. 4. 
Conclusions. 
Botrychium obliguum, and probably the other species of the 
subgenus Phyllotrichium differ from other representatives of the 
genus in the following aspects : 
1. Instead of a foot, a conspicuous suspensor is developed. 
2. This suspensor determines the position of the very young 
embryo; the root bores through the prothallus downward, the 
cotyledon upward. Campbell (9) remarks (p. 136): “The 
genus Danaea difiers in the early division of the embryo from 
the other Marattiaceae. The egg cell after fertilization elongates 
in a way which closely resembles that found in B. obliquum. 
The primary hypobasal cell either divides no further or only 
