MORPHOLOGY OF SPATHYEMA FOETIDA 
JAMES ELLIs Gow 
(WITH SEVEN FIGURES) 
During the late winter and the spring of 1906 the writer collected, 
in the vicinity of Blairstown, N. J., the material on which the follow- 
ing observations are based. The anthers of Spathyema and the 
portion of the receptacle in which the ovary lay imbedded were cut 
out, killed, and fixed in picracetic,’ chromacetic, or picric acid, 
imbedded, sectioned, and mounted in the usual manner. The stains 
used were safranin, Delafield’s haematoxylin, and Haidenhain’s 
iron-alum haematoxylin, Of these the last gave by far the best 
results. 
During the summer the buds which give rise to the plants of 
the next year develop on the thick underground rootstocks. By 
November the shoots are several inches in length. The flower buds 
occur as lateral offshoots of the leaf bud, in the outer integuments of 
which they are enclosed. Only one flower makes its appearance in 
connection with each shoot. Occasionally this one is lacking, and 
the leafy shoot appears alone. 
THE MICROSPORANGIUM. 
During February growth is resumed in the flower bud. At this 
time the single anatropous ovule makes its first appearance in the 
form of a group of cells projecting obliquely downward into the 
cavity of the ovary. The stamens appear as short projections from 
the surface of the receptacle. The filaments do not begin to lengthen 
until considerably later. ‘The anthers at this stage of development 
have not attained their full size, but the four microsporangia and 
the connective may be readily distinguished by the naked eye. Upon 
making a microscopic examination of the anther in cross section it is 
seen that the various portions are already well differentiated. Through 
the middle of the rather thin-walled cells forming the connective 
« A saturated solution of picric acid to which is added 1 per cent. of glacial 
acetic acid. 
131] [Botanical Gazette, vol. 43 
