THE HIGHER CRYPTOGAMIA. 255 



wards. They assume a cap-like form, and laying hold 

 of one another they envelope the apex of the rudiments of 

 the frond, which now for the first time slowly elongates 

 itself (PL XXXIII, figs. 15-19). Thus the rudimentary 

 Perula is formed in all its parts, but nevertheless as an 

 organic closed veil: its principal portion, viz., the two 

 membranous lobes which enclose the involute frond, con- 

 sists of two entirely distinct moieties overlapping one 

 another and leaving a wide opening at the place where 

 they impinge upon that part of the stipula which has origi- 

 nated from the fore surface of the rudiment of the frond 

 (PL XXXIII, fig. 19). By further development this trans- 

 verse portion of the stipula becomes divided at the upper 

 margin into two cellular surfaces, one of which is bent 

 backwards over the involute special frond, the other for- 

 wards over the rudiments of the younger fronds. By fur- 

 ther advance in growth all the parts of the stipula, especially 

 the basal portions, are developed to a great degree, so as 

 to form a tissue of considerable extent, of a dark red colour 

 on the outside and rose red within, and traversed by an 

 intricate complication of numerous vascular bundles and 

 passages containing gummy matter. The cells of this 

 tissue abound with large starch-grains. Even now, how- 

 ever, no amalgamation takes place anywhere between the 

 hitherto distinct portions of the stipula. 



The development of the scales and roots of Marattia 

 differs in no material respect from that of the Polypodiacese. 

 The root-cell of the first degree appears three-sided both in 

 a longitudinal and in a transverse section of the root. 



It is generally known amongst gardeners that fragments 

 of the fleshy adventitious fronds of the Marattiacese can be 

 used to produce new individuals. In Marattia cicutafolia 

 this mode of reproduction may be practised with exceeding 

 facility. The stipules, even of the most slender fronds, of 

 specimens grown in the same manner only a few months pre- 

 viously, may be employed for the experiment. If these 

 stipules be cut into pieces about half a square inch in size, 

 and simply placed in a stoppered bottle, adventitious buds, 

 produced at some of the numerous vascular bundles, will be 

 seen in ten or twelve weeks to break through the bark of 



