148 Mr. J. R. Vaizey. On the [Dec. 20, 



III. "Preliminary Account of the Morphology of the Sporo- 

 phyte of Splachnum luteum." By J. R. VAIZEY, M.A., 

 of Peterhouse, Cambridge. Communicated by FRANCIS 

 DARWIN, F.R.S. Received December 3, 1888. 



The investigations of Haberlandt,* published in the latter part of 

 1886, together with the results of investigations of my own, which 

 were then just completed, and communicated to the Linnean Society f 

 early in 1887, convinced me of the importance of obtaining further 

 knowledge of the highest development to which the sporophyte of 

 the mosses attains, as being likely to throw light indirectly on the 

 phylogeny of the higher Cryptogams and Phanerogams. Inquiring 

 into the matter, I found that Splachnum luteum, Splachnum rubrum, 

 and some few other forms were the most likely to yield the best 

 results ; I determined, therefore, to obtain material for investigating 

 their morphology. These forms being arctic or subarctic, I put 

 myself in communication with Professor Axel Blytt, of Christiania, to 

 find out if he could either procure me material properly preserved for 

 the purpose, or put me in the way of obtaining material if I went 

 myself to Norway. From my correspondence with Professor Blytt, I 

 concluded that the only really practicable course was to go myself, 

 and obtain my own material in the different stages in which I 

 required it. To carry out this project, I applied for, and was 

 granted, assistance by the Royal Society. I, therefore, now tender 

 to the Society a brief outline of the first of my results. 



I obtained after considerable search, in which I was fortunate in 

 having the invaluable assistance of Professor Blytt and Dr. F. C. Kiaer, 

 whose knowledge of the habitats of Norwegian mosses is notorious, a 

 large quantity of Sp. luteum in many different stages of development ; 

 of Sp. rubrum I only obtained one specimen ; but beyond the mere 

 difference of colour there is little or no difference between the two 

 species. The material was obtained in the marshy land on the top of 

 the watershed between the River Glommen and Lake Miosen, and on 

 the south-eastern side of the Dovref jeld region. 



In the sporophyte of Splachnum luteum we have a structure with 

 a remarkable similarity to an umbrella, the handle end of which is 

 inserted in the tissues of the oophyte, and is known as the foot. The 

 seta is much elongated, bearing the umbrella-like expansion, the 

 apophysis, at the top just below the sporangium. It is the structure 



* " Beitrage zur Anatomie und Physiologie der Laubmoose j " ' Jahrb. fur 

 Wissen. Bot.,' vol. 17. 



f Yaizey : " On the Anatomy and Development of the Sporogonium of the 

 Mosses." * Linn. Soc. Journ., Bot.,' vol. 24. 



