THE HIGHER CllYPTOGAMIA. 93 



wards, and this takes place even during the process of the 

 amalgamation of three shoots into one new shoot (PL XIII, 

 fig. 7 *). From these cells are developed the organs of 

 fructification, the antheridia or archegonia. The arrange- 

 ment of these corresponds to the commissures of the three 

 shoots which are uniting to form a single shoot, thus 

 forming two nearly parallel longitudinal rows right and 

 left of the median line. The hemispherical vesicular pro- 

 tuberance which projects above the surface of the young 

 stem-joint divides by a septum inclined to the horizon. 

 In the upper one of the new cells thus formed division 

 immediately takes place by a membrane inclined in the 

 opposite direction (PL XIII, figs. 5, 7 *). In these phe- 

 nomena of development the archegonia and antheridia, 

 which originate without any regularity, exactly resemble 

 each other ; in their earliest condition they cannot be dis- 

 tinguished from one another. 



The cells of the upper side of the young stem which 

 surround the base of the rudiment of an antheridium ex- 

 tend themselves upwards, and thus form a membranous 

 ring which encircles the lower part of the antheridium. 

 This ring usually consists of six cells (PL XIII, fig. 10); 

 it is seldom wider. It grows longitudinally by repeated 

 transverse division of the cells of its free upper edge. The 

 sheath thus formed soon overtops the apex of the young, 

 small antheridium (PL XIII, figs. 6, 7 *) ; above the anthe- 

 ridium it becomes considerably narrower (PL XIII, fig. 9). 

 The upper part of its inner cavity contains a watery fluid ; 

 in the lower part, close under the antheridium, air is secreted 

 at an early period, which by careful pressure may be 

 driven out at the narrow mouth of the covering of the 

 antheridium. 



The first appearance of the organs of fructification takes 

 place, as is mentioned above, long before the termination 

 of the growth of the stem-joint. The increase in thickness 

 of the surrounding tissue of the surface of the stem nearly 

 keeps pace with the longitudinal growth of the archegonia 

 and of the sharply conical covering of the antheridium, so 

 that the organs of fructification, during their longitudinal 

 development, are continually enclosed in the tissue of the 



