TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 131 
With these may be classed variations in the number of petals, stamens, or stigmas 
of a flower, such as the following :— 
Number of 
specimens. 
Papaver rheas (stigmas). 3 with 7 stigmatic rays, 
” ”? 7 ” 8 ” 
” ” ie ott ee ” 
” ” Lee ke ” 
” ” 16 ” 11 ” 
” 9 4 ” 12 ”) 
” ” 9 ” 13 ”? 
” ” re ) 14 ” 
Totes: 65 
And if, as I suppose, the ranks of rootlets on the main root of a plant have 
relation (historically) to the ranks of leaves on the stem, then the following instance 
of variation of rootlet-order may be quoted here :— 
Number of 
specimens. 
Rumex crispus? (root). 1 had 2 rows of rootlets on main or branch-root. 
” ” 20 ” 3 ” ” 
” ” i caus ” ” 
” ” 1 ” 5 ” ” 
” ” 1 ” 6 ” ” 
DGGE he cnie a 30 
(2) Examples of variation of obliquity of leaf-ranks. 
Gasteria carinata has normally two vertical ranks in alternate order (4). As a 
variation these two ranks are found decidedly twisted. 
Plantago major shows marked variation in degree of condensation of leaf- 
arrangement (involving variation of obliquity of ranks). 
In a paper on leaf-arrangement, of which an abstract is published in the ‘ Pro- 
ceedings of the Royal Society’ for 1874, vol. xxii. pp. 298-307, I have explained how, 
by the accumulative action of the above two modes of variation combined, it is 
possible that all the existing varieties of leaf-arrangement may have been produced. 
Notes on Apothecia occurring in some Scytonematous and Sirosiphonaceous 
Algal Species, in addition to those previously known. By WititaM ARCHER, 
This paper is descriptive of the apothecia and spores (with figures) found by 
the gathor in two species of Seytonema, two of Strosiphon, and one of Stigonema, 
all of them specifically different from any of the few similar cases hitherto 
recorded. According to the older view that these are the fruits of the species of 
Scytonematous and Sirosiphonaceous Algz in question, the cases brought forward, 
coupled with a similar fructification having been recorded in a very few other 
related species, would go to indicate that these so-called i were not alge truly 
but lichens. According to the newer view propounded by De Bary and Schwendener, 
all such cases would only represent so many instances of the invasion of the alge 
concerned by so many distinct fungal parasites, of which the apothecia were the 
proper fructification. 
here could be little doubt but that, wpon either view, the five plants (either as 
regards the “alge” or the “ parasites”) herein referred to, as well as Bornet’s 
Lichenospheria and Spilonema and Nylander’s Gonionema (not to speak of Ephebe), 
are so many quite distinct species. If the apothecia are to be regarded as the 
“fruit” of the several forms of the alge in question, even though some may 
externally so very closely resemble, these (algze) must be quite distinct species inter 
se; if, on the other hand, the apothecia must be looked upon as “aa uit of the 
