54 HOFMEISTER, ON 



septum; in the higher ones this division is repeated in 

 the terminal cell, so that they present the appearance of 

 3-cellular rows of cells. Those which originate at a later 

 period exhibit longitudinal septa in their basal cells, and a 

 furcate ramification at the apex ; they resemble now, even 

 in their outline, the leaves of the plant (PI. IX, fig. 9). 

 Higher up, in more advanced germ-plants, perfect leaves 

 appear in the place of the above rows of cells. Individual 

 points of the wall of many of the cells of the underside of the 

 germ-plant often develope, even at an early period, into root- 

 lets, and penetrate into the substratum (PI. IX, fig. 10). 

 In isolated cases the longitudinal growth of the first shoot 

 of the germinating plant is suppressed ; a new shoot then 

 arises near to, and underneath, the apex, whose cells exhibit, 

 at a little distance above the place of origin of the shoot, 

 the same arrangement as that which is found at the apices 

 of germ-plants in a more advanced state of development, 

 and which are commencing to form leaves (PL IX, fig. 12, 

 I2 6 ).* 



Jungermannia divaricata, Engl. Bot., and Alicularia 

 scalaris (PL VII, fig. 11), of both of which I have found 

 spores just germinating and half developed germ-plants, 

 appear to germinate in the same manner, in all respects, as 

 Jungermannia bicuspidata. The same is the case, according 

 to Gronland (1. c. PL I), in Sarcoscyphus Funkii and Junger- 

 mannia crenidata. The germination of Lophocolea hetero- 

 pltylla coincides generally with that of /. divaricata. Here, 

 however, the delicate brownish outer spore-membrane is 

 not ruptured by the expanding inner membrane, but is only 

 gradually stretched, until finally it disappears in the further 

 progress of the germination. The small globular spores scat- 

 tered over decaying bark, swell to three times their original 

 size within a few clays. Numerous chlorophyll bodies are 

 produced at the same time in their fluid contents ; a 

 nucleus becomes clearlv visible in the centre of the cell, and 

 may even be seen, although with difficulty, whilst the spore 

 is still enclosed in the capsule. This nucleus vanishes, and 



* Gronland has observed that the germ-plant whilst exhibiting only a single 

 row of cells, not (infrequently ramifies ; a fact which I have not observed. (See 

 'Ann. Sc. Nat.' iv ser. 1, p. 15.) 



