92 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



is followed by Dicranodontium, Metzleria, and Trcmatodon. The family 

 Leucobryaccae comprises the single species Leucobryum glaucum. The 

 Fissidentaceae comprise Fissidens with eighteen species, and tlie monotypic 

 Pachyjissidens and Octodiceras ; the Scligeriaceae, Seligeria with five 

 species, and Blindia, Trochobryum, and Stylostegium, with one each ; and 

 the Campylosteliaceae two species only, viz. one each of Brachydontium 

 and Campylostelium. Then follow the Ditrichacea), including the genera 

 Ceratodon, Trichodon, Ditriclmm, and Distichium. 



Epiphytic Jungerrnanniese.* — Ilerr K. Goebel describes the con- 

 trivances for storing up water in the epiphytic Jungerrnanniese of Java, 

 which are numerous, growing especially on the leaves of ferns and 

 flowering plants along with algae. 



The receptacles for water connected wdth the auricles are of three 

 kinds: — (1) The two lobes of the same leaf are closely approximate, 

 and form an organ the shape of a pouch or j)itcher, as in Badula, 

 Phragmicoma, and Lejennia. In some species of Badula it is but feebly 

 developed, most completely in Lejeunia. (2) The lower lobe of the leaf 

 is concave on its morphologically upper side, and forms by itself the 

 receptacle, as in Frullania and Polyotus. These receptacles are not 

 formed if the supply of water is abundant, clearly showing their purpose. 

 (3) The water-receptacle is formed out of a leaf and the lamella which 

 springs from it, as in Gottschea and Physiotium. The chamber thus 

 formed is often large and tubular, as in P. giganteum. They often 

 form domiciles for insects ; but there is no ground for regarding these 

 Hepaticae as insectivorous. The so-called " tubular organs " of species 

 of Physiotium are also receptacles for water. 



The epiphytic Jungerrnanniese are sometimes provided with special 

 organs of attachment. Disc-like gemmae were also found on species of 

 Badula, Lejeunia, and other genera. Those of L. Goebeli spring from a 

 single cell of the leaf. The circular gemmae of Badula stand on a uni- 

 cellular pedicel. 



Metzgeriopsis pusilla, epiphytic on the leaves of Ophioglossum pendulum, 

 forms an interesting link between the thallose and foliose Hepaticae. It 

 consists of a small thallus branching monopodially, and composed of 

 only a single layer of cells. It is propagated non-sexually by gemmae 

 resembling those of Lejeunia, as well as by sexual organs, each female 

 fertile shoot bearing only a single archegonium. There are no amphi- 

 gastria. 



Production of Gemmae by Fegatella.f— Herr G. Karsten describes 

 the formation of gemmae on Fegatella conica, they not having been pre- 

 viously observed in this genus of Hepaticae. They were obtained both 

 in natural growth and on cultures in pots, under suitable conditions of 

 moisture and temperature. The gemmae originate from the midrib of 

 the thallus, and either from the lowest layer of cells or the lowest but 

 one when the lowest itself has died away. The cells rapidly become 

 filled with starch and chlorophyll, and the gemma acquires a round form 

 and dark-green colour. A great number of rhizoids are produced from 

 its superficial cells. With or without a period of rest, the gemma 

 developes into a new individual, the first cell-divisions being in the 



* Aim. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, vii. (1887) pp. 21-66 (8 pis.). See Bot. Ccntralbl., 

 xxxii. (1887) p. 167. 



t Bot. Ztg., xlv. (1887) pp. 649-55 (1 pi.). 



