74 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [july 



on the other hand it shows in a reduced form primary xylem comparable to 

 that of Lyginodendron or Poroxylon. It suggests, perhaps more strongly 

 than any of the other species described, a truly gymnospermous stem, which 



f- 



may well have belonged to one of the Cordaiteae, but which still retains the 

 last relics of the primary wood-structure characteristic of the Poroxyleae and 

 the Lyginodendreae." The article is illustrated by six plates, two of which 

 are photographic. — E. C. Jeffrey. 



L, A. Boodle"^, in the third of his studies on the anatomy of ferns, sup- 

 plemenis the observations of Poirault on the Gleicheniaceae in several impor- 

 tant respects. One species, Gieichenia pectinataydt^^irts from the protostelic 

 type of central cylinder described by Poirault for a number of other species 

 of the genus in possessing a siphonostelic (solenostelic) cauline fibrovascular 

 system. The stelar tube has internal as well as external phloem and endo- 

 dermis. Boodle differs from Poirault in his morphological interpretation of 

 the curious masses of brown sclerenchyma surrounded by an endodermis, 

 which are often found embedded in the foliar traces of the Gleicheniaceae. 

 Poirault regards them, even where not actually continuous with the similar 

 very characteristic sclerenchyma of the cortex, as cortical sequestrations 

 included by the stelar tissues. On the other hand, Boodle thinks, because 

 the islands of brown sclerenchyma are sometimes continuous with similar 

 cortical tissue and sometimes not, that no argument for their morphological 

 nature can be drawn from continuity with the cortex or its absence. A com- 

 plete description is given of the anatomy of the rare and interesting north 

 Australian genus Platyzoma. The central cylinder is siphonostelic with an 

 internal endodermis but no internal phloem. The foliar gaps in this mono- 

 typic and extremely xerophytic genus are much more reduced than is the 

 case in the somewhat similar central cylinder of the Osmundaceae. — E. C. 



Jeffrey. 



The much-needed prothallium of Phylloglossum has been obtained 

 and studied by A. P. W. Thomas of Auckland, New Zealand. A preliminary 

 account" has been published, but the detailed account, with drawings, is in 

 hand for publication. Although adult plants were abundant, prothallia were 

 very rare, being discovered in only three localities. It is suggested that one 

 of the conditions lacking for the general and annual development of pro- 

 thallia is the presence of the fungus symbiont that occurs always within 

 the gametophyte. The prothallium is of the subterranean, tuberous typ' 



ex 



pected. At first an oval tuber is formed, from which arises a cylindrical 



"^Comparative anatomy of the Hymenophyllaceae, Schizaeaceae, and Gleichen- 

 iaceae. 3, On the anatomy of the Gleicheniaceae. Annals of Botany 15:703-747- 

 pls,3S-3Q. iqoi. 



3X 



Thomas, A. P. W., Preliminary account of the prothallium of Pliylloglossuni 



Proc. Roy. Soc. London 69 : 285-295. 1902. 



