50 1IOFMEISTER, ON 



Soon after the commencement of the development of the 

 first reproductive buds, the margins of the depression in 

 which they originate become elevated like walls the eleva- 

 tion commencing with the hinder margin (PL VI, fig. 20). 

 A cylindrical tube, open above, is formed over the depres- 

 sion in which the buds are generated (PL VI, fig. 21). 

 The cells of the bud-receptacle itself, and those of the 

 lower part of its growing margin, take part in the longi- 

 tudinal elongation which now commences in the tissue of 

 the stem. The cells of the upper part of the above tube 

 extend themselves upwards only ; those of its free margin 

 continue to divide by transverse septa. By this means the 

 lower part of the bud-receptacle becomes elongato-lageni- 

 form ; the open tube appears inserted in its upper end. 



Reproductive buds now make their appearance on the 

 inner-side also of the upper arched surface of the bud- 

 receptacle. The inner cavity of the receptacle is filled, like 

 those of the Marchantiese, with dense transparent slime, in 

 which numerous short greenish threads, too narrow to 

 admit of being measured, are imbedded (PL VI, fig. 22). 

 (Are they the rudiments of fungi?) A very striking 

 peculiarity is exhibited by the rudimentary reproductive 

 buds in these cells, which are destined for a process of 

 active multiplication. Their contents are as clear as water. 

 No nucleus of any kind is to be seen. It is only on rare 

 occasions that solid bodies are found in the cell-sap, in the 

 form of from one to three sharply defined, angular, very 

 small bodies with exceedingly active molecular motion 

 (PL VI, fig. 22 s ). Concentrated tincture of iodine precipi- 

 tates a scarcely perceptible quantity of a yellowish-brown 

 substance upon the inner wall of the cell, even when the 

 tincture is considerably heated. When the bud (omitting 

 the stalk) has become 4-5 cellular, a nucleus is for the first 

 time perceptible in each of the cells, contemporaneously 

 with the appearance of the first small chlorophyll bodies, 

 which are of a beautiful emerald green. The number of 

 these increases considerably towards the period of the 

 perfecting of the bud. At this time numerous drops of a 

 clear, yellow, fatty oil make their appearance in the cells of 

 the buds. The chlorophyll changes colour. Ultimately the 



