I 9 4 PRACTICAL BOTANY 



The Female Branch (Archegoniophore) 



IX. Remove the star-shaped head of a female branch which 

 has attained a considerable length, and examine first the upper 

 surface : with the naked eye or with a lens note the rounded 

 arms, usually nine in number, and the diamond-shaped areas, 

 each having a single central stoma. 



Turn the head upside down, and observe on its lower 

 surface 



1. The central attachment or stalk. 



2. The radiating arms, usually nine in number. 



3. The curtain-like perichsetia, which alternate in position 

 with the arms : the archegonia are enveloped by these, and if 

 the branch be an old one 



4. The nearly spherical sporogonia may be observed pro- 

 truding from them : if these be fully ripe, they may have burst, 

 in which case a yellow flocculent mass may be seen protruding 

 from them, consisting of the spores and elaters. 



X. Select a female branch which has not yet grown more 

 than a quarter of an inch in height, cut rather thick trans- 

 verse sections (i.e. in a horizontal plane) through the head 

 of it, mount in glycerine, and examine under a low power : 

 observe - 



1. The central stalk cut through transversely, and presenting 

 characters similar to those above described. 



2. The arms, usually nine in number, radiating from that 

 central point. 



3. The numerous archegonia, each of which presents a 

 circular outline from this point of view : they are disposed in 

 groups alternating in position with the arms, each group being 

 surrounded by the perichaetium. 



Under a high power the following points may be ascer- 

 tained 



a. That the most mature archegonia are those nearest the 

 periphery, while those of each group are successively younger 

 the nearer they are to the central stalk. 



b. That each mature archegonium as seen in section consists 



