1909] SAXTON—WIDDRINGTONIA CUPRESSOIDES 169 
sempervirens by ARNOLDI (1) and LAwson (20). Their distribu- 
_ tion is evidently determined largely by the position of the pollen tube. 
Thirty-eight archegonia are shown in this figure, but only those are 
indicated parts of which at least could be seen in a single section; 
the total number is slightly over fifty. Of several prothalli collected 
on the same date, one other showed an almost identical structure, 
but the rest were somewhat older and the archegonia were dis- 
organized. ‘There was an indication, however, that the number of 
archegonia in these other prothalli was considerably less, though 
their distribution must have been essentially similar. 
The lowest group of archegonia from jig. 15 has been drawn on a 
_ larger scale in fig. 16. Of these archegonia the lowest but one and 
_ the lowest but three have evidently been fertilized, as each contains 
a proembryo. This fact, together with the presence of a single 
pollen tube, indicates that, as is usual in Cupressineae (LAWSON 
4 23), two sperm cells are organized and both are functional. How- 
ever, only indirect evidence is available in the present case. Unfor- 
tunately the unfertilized archegonia of the group are not in very good 
condition, having doubtless been organized some time previously 
and being about to disintegrate; hence it is quite possible that the 
details exhibited are to some extent different from those of a recently 
formed archegonium. 
Only the lowest archegonium of the group has any trace of what 
might be interpreted as neck cells, and even this cell (shaded in the 
- figure) is probably only a prothallus cell which happens to lie imme- 
diately over the archegonium. It is quite clear that the archegonia 
arise from cells deep in the prothallus, and possibly this may be the 
reason why no neck cells are formed, though Lawson (20) records 
them in Sequoia; but in that genus the archegonia grow in such a 
2 way as to push their necks to the surface, whereas in Widdringtonia 
= they remain deep-seated in the prothallus. It may be that the neck 
_ cells disintegrate entirely and leave no trace, and this would be the 
natural explanation in the case of fertilized archegonia, as noted by 
‘ Kitpaut (18) in connection with a similar absence of neck cells in 
_ Phyllocladus alpinus; there is no apparent reason, however, to suppose 
_ that the neck cells have completely disappeared in all the unfertilized 
_ archegonia, and I believe that none are ever formed. 
aera Serene : 
eg eo gi, Bl patella ee tees ee laa ae Rae Ee a = P i PEN 
Ba a nS ak a ae I ak cies cia 
Ror tater ee Ree Sees 
es aves 
