ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 839 



Cellulin-grains were observed by the author in Vaucheria aessilia 

 and geminata, but not with certainty in the living cells ; best in 

 preparations treated with hyperosmic acid, and then mounted in 

 glycerin, after the cells have lain for a long time in alcohol. They 

 vary in size from 4 to 14 /u,, and are of a compressed roundish form. 

 The inner spongy mass of the young grains takes up pigments 

 greedily, while the outer part is scarcely or not at all stained ; 

 nigrosin and rosanilin stain them most strongly. The inner portion 

 is, however, coloured by an aqueous solution of eosin. They are 

 remarkably insoluble in chlor-iodide of zinc, and in sulphuric acid 

 unless very concentrated. 



Cryptogamia Vascularia. 



Apical Growth of the Root of Todea.* — M. P. Lachmann finds 

 in the roots of Todea harhara a group of four initial cells, each with 

 the form of a prism or of a four-sided truncated pyramid. The 

 secondary roots proceed from a single cell of the endoderm of the 

 adventitious roots, but in these also there is formed at an early 

 period a group of four initials lying in a cross. The author regards 

 this as establishing an additional point of union between the 

 Osmundaceae and Marattiaceas. 



Prothallium of Lycopodium.t — Dr. H. Bruchmann points out a 

 remarkable diflference between the prothallium of Lycopodium anno- 

 tinum, observed by Fankhauser and himself, and that of L. cernuum, 

 described by Treub. The latter is an erect cylindrical body growing 

 above the surface of the soil and containing chlorophyll, with a leaf- 

 like rim, beneath which are the archegonia and antheridia. The 

 former is a prostrate underground tuber, entirely destitute of chloro- 

 phyll, and bearing antheridia and archegonia on the surface of special 

 cushions inclosed by the margin of the prothallium. Neither form 

 appears to be in any way abnormal, and the explanation suggested is 

 that the European club-mosses have one type of prothallium, the 

 tropical species another. 



Another peculiarity of the prothallium of Lycopodium, as observed 

 both by Treub and by Bruchmann, is the constant presence in its 

 cells of an endophytic fungus, apparently an undescribcd species of 

 Pythium, resembling that described by Sadebeck in the prothallium 

 of Equisetum. It appears to exercise very little injurious influence 

 on the tissues. Bodies which were probably oogonia were detected 

 by Bruchmann in some of the cells. 



Spores of Lycopodium.t — Mr. D. H. Galloway has made some 

 rncaHuremcnts of the spores of Lycopodium, with the following results : 

 Ho made careful measurements of 50 spores and found their average 

 diainoterB to be 7/GOOO in., the largest having a diameter of 8/GOOO in., 

 and the smallest 6/6000 in. It would therefore take 857 of them 



• Bull. MenH. Soc Bot. Lyons, 1884, pp. 42-4. See Bot. Contralbl., xsi. 

 (188.'5) p. a-ot. 



t Bot. Cfintralbl., xxi. dSSS) pp. 300-13. Sec tliis Journal, an/e, p. 277. 

 i Bull. Torrey Bot. Clul), xii. (188.'5; pp. .OS-O, from ' WcBtcrn DiU{,'giBl.' 



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