Butters: observations on TRicnoGLciiA lubkica. 17 



Throughout the frond the cytoplasmic strands between the 

 adjacent cells of a filament are evident. In some cases these 

 may be seen in unstained material, and in preparations stained 

 with a solution of iodine in water and potassium iodide they are 

 easily visible in all parts of the plant. 



With iodine-potassium-iodide solution and sulphuric acid the 

 cell walls give a faint cellulose reaction, stronger in the medul- 

 lary region than in the cortex. In the cells of the medulla and 

 inner cortex, in preparations stained with acid fuchsin, a ring 

 of more densely staining cell wall is seen between adjacent 

 cells, surrounding the protoplasmic connection between the 

 cells. This ring does not display the cellulose reaction with 

 iodine and sulphuric acid and is not stained with the chlor-zinc- 

 iodide callus reagent. 



Several reagents, such as gentian-violet and bismarck-brown, 

 stained the gelatinous matrix of the frond. In some sections, 

 stained with bismarck-brown, it was possible to make out the 

 structure of the matrix, a definite portion of it being seen as a 

 sheath surrounding each of the cortical filaments. 



The reproductive tract. — Both antheridia and procarps were 

 found upon the plants which were examined. There is often a 

 localization of these organs, so that an entire branch of the 

 frond may be male or female, but more often both kinds of 

 reproductive organs are produced close together upon the 

 same branch of the frond and often upon adjacent groups of 

 cortical filaments springing from the same medullary filament, 

 but apparently never upon the same branch system of cortical 

 filaments. 



The antheridia. — Antheridia arise by the proliferation of 

 the distal cells of a peripheral filament {Figs. 5, 8). The distal 

 cells in this case average 9x6 mic, being smaller than the 

 immediately proximal sterile cells and smaller than the distal 

 cells of mature sterile filaments. They are devoid of floridean 

 starch, while the immediately proximal sterile cells are filled 

 with it. These central cells of the antheridial branch bear 

 numerous simple or branched chains of almost spherical, some- 

 what thick-walled cells about 2.8 mic. in diameter. The ter- 

 minal cells of these chains are the sperm mother cells and when 

 they are mature each one discharges its sperm from the enclos- 

 ing cell wall. The sperms are the usual spherical non-motile 

 sperms of the Florideae. 



