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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 

 October 12, 1909 



The meeting was called to order at the American Museum of 

 Natural History, with Vice-president Barnhart in the chair. 

 There were 22 persons present. Resignations were accepted 

 from Miss Mary H. Price and Miss Mabel Denton. Mr. Leon 

 L. Cypress was elected a member of the Club. 



The program of the evening consisted of an illustrated lecture 

 by Dr. John Hendley Barnhart. The paper has been published 

 with slight modifications in the Journal of the Nezv York Botan- 

 ical Garden for August, 1909, and will appear in the next number 



of TORREYA. 



Percy Wilson, 



Secretary 



OF INTEREST TO TEACHERS 



Liverwort Types for Elementary Classes 

 By W. C. Coker 



In the liverworts we find the first conspicuous appearance of 

 alternation of generations in plants, and it is here that it behooves 

 the teacher to bring his pupils to a clear understanding of this 

 fundamental morphological fact. All teachers of experience know 

 that here we arrive at the pons asinorum of botany, but we should 

 see to it that no student is kept on the wrong side by any unneces- 

 sary narrowing of the way. 



In looking for a type, then, to use in our elementary classes 

 it seems to me of the utmost importance that one should be 

 selected that shows this alternation of generation in the clearest 

 and simplest manner — as little obscured as possible by complex 

 morphology. Now, if we examine the text books that are at 

 present being used or that have been used for the last twenty 

 years we find that the liverwort type is Marchantia, as complex 

 and diflficult a plant as the group affords, and one as little suited 

 for this use as could well be found. The complex thallus, the 

 stalked and still more complex archegoniophores and antheridio- 



