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Art. X. — On the Structure of the Plants Nitella and Chara. 

 By Thomas S. Ralph, Esq., M.R.C.S., &c. 



[Abstract of paper, original read 11th November, 1861.] 



Mr. Ralph summarised the observations of others on the 

 life and history of these plants, with a view to direct atten- 

 tion to their further study by microscopists, to whom they 

 afforded excellent opportunities for studying many important 

 vegetable phenomena. The paper was arranged under three 

 heads : 1st. The structure of the globule and nucule, or re- 

 productive parts of the plant ; 2nd. The structure of the 

 stem and rootlets, and the circulation therein displayed ; 

 3rd. The nature of the animalculse which were developed 

 in connection with these plants. 



He stated that the principal points to be attended to in the 

 study of these plants, was to direct special attention to the cir- 

 culation in the rootlets, and their mode of developing new cells, 

 and that, in order to do this, it was needful to grow them, as 

 he had been in the habit of doing, in small water cells, so that 

 the changes exhibited in the growing parts might be readily 

 noted. The other point was, to carry on still further the 

 investigations of the growth of animalcule in connection 

 with these plants, a subject which had only recently been 

 brought under the notice of students of Natural History. 



Art. XL — Remarks on a Filamentous Material, Groivn 

 upon the Plant " Gryptostemma Galendulaceum," be- 

 leived to be suitable for Manufacturing Purposes. By 

 Henry H. Hatter, Esq. 



[Read 11th November, 1861.] 



I have here a sample of a fibrous substance I gathered 

 in the Royal Park, from a plant which is very abundant 

 in that locality, and which is also extremely common 

 in most of the reserves and open spaces of ground in 

 and around Melbourne. It bears a yellow flower, the 

 appearance of which is doubtless well known to most of 

 you. I produce a specimen of the plant which I picked from 

 the reserve in which the hall of this Society stands. I have 

 ascertained from the Government Botanist that the name 



