CHARACE^E. 87 



and which are surrounded by the nine smaller spiral cells, arise 

 or are placed the organs of reproduction : these are of two kinds, 

 nucules and globules, which have been denominated male and 

 female ; the upper being regarded as the female and the lower 

 as the male apparatus. The female apparatus or nucule con- 

 sists of a seed-vessel, which is composed of a membranous and 

 brittle envelope, around which are wrapped five spiral cells, 

 surmounted or crowned by five smaller cells. The cells, it is 

 remarkable, pass from right to left, that is, in a direction the 

 reverse of the cells on the stems and branches, and contrary 

 also to the course of the circulation. (See pi. LXI. fig. 4.) In all 

 these cells circulation is carried on. The brittle envelope re- 

 ferred to may not be a real organized membrane. Each seed- 

 vessel, according to the observations of Mr.Varley and others, 

 contains but a single nucleus or germ, which has a proper 

 envelope: when young, it is of a green colour, the tubes 

 being colourless : as it ripens it becomes darker, and then 

 begins to fade away, and ultimately separates and disappears. 

 The seed or nucleus is then ripe, and ready to separate, con- 

 nected only by the brittle envelope, which is entirely soluble 

 in acids. When this is removed the nucleus or kernel appears 

 with its dark and shining skin, " which is flexible and tough 

 enough to bear squeezing out of shape." On the rupture of 

 this the contents issue forth, which are compared to wheat 

 flour by Mr. Varley. Such is a brief outline ofthe seed and 

 seed-vessels : the structure of the male blossom, if it may 

 be so termed, is more complicated. It is spherical and 

 situated beneath the seed-vessel, surrounded by its four 

 sprouts or cells. (See pi. LXI. fig. 4.) Although these globules, 

 as well as the seed-vessel or nucleus, are placed at the junc- 

 ture of the principal cells with each other, they do not arise 

 directly from these, but rest on a number of smaller cells, 

 which are there found, and which, as some of them present 

 phenomena, which are peculiar, and which are accurately de- 

 scribed by Varley in vol. iv. part 1., it will be well to notice 

 before following up the anatomy of the globule. The cells 

 which present these peculiar phenomena are, first, that upon 

 which rests the stalk of the globule ; secondly, that which sup- 



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