44 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JULY 
changes can occur at a much lower temperature in both light 
and darkness. 
IV. SUMMARY. 
The more important results of the foregoing investigations 
may be stated as follows :— 
1. Under ordinary conditions of temperature and inorganic 
nourishment, moss and liverwort spores are unable to germinate 
in the dark. Spores when subjected to the more strongly refran- 
gible rays of the spectrum only behave the same as in dark- 
ness, : 
2. Organic nourishment in the form of either peptone ve 
grape sugar will call forth the germination of moss spores in 
complete darkness. Moss protonemata are able to attain a con- 
siderable size in the dark, by a saprophytic nourishment, 
although the vigor of growth is considerably below the normal. 
3. Under ordinary conditions of temperature and inorganic 
nourishment, fern spores are unable to germinate in the dark. 
A higher temperature, however, will furnish conditions for the 
germination in complete darkness. 
4. The spores of Equisetum germinate apparently as well in 
darkness as in light and at the ordinary room temperature of 
I9g—21°C, 
The experiments for this work were conducted during 1896-7 
at the Botanical Institute, Leipzig, under the direction of 
Herr Geheimrat Professor Dr. Pfeffer, to whom thanks are due 
for many valuable suggestions. 
PARSONS COLLEGE, 
Fairfield, Ia. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE ry. 
Fic. 1. Various stages of Funaria Spores, germinated in the light under — - 
normal conditions; a, after being in culture for three days. X 330. 
Fic. 2. Spores of Funaria germinated in the dark ina sugar solution; 
a and 4, after being in culture for three days. X 330. 
sciences 
