From Volume J/.1, Part I., of Memoirs and Proceedings of the Man- 

 chester Literary and Philosophical Society, Session 1896-7. 



ON THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS OF THE TUBERS 

 OF ANTHOCEROS TUBEROSUS, TAYLOR. 



By J. H. Ashworth, B.Sc. 



In the Synopsis Hepaticarum (Gottsche, Lindenberg et Esenbeck, 

 1847) the occurrence of tubers in Anthoceros tuberosum, Riccia vesicata, 

 Riccia tuberosa and Petalophyllum, Preissii is mentioned. 



The tubers of Anthoceros Uiberosus were first described by Taylor in 

 the London Journal of Botany (1846, p. 412), the specimens described 

 being collected by Drummond on the banks of the Swan River in 

 Western Australia. This account is quoted in the Synopsis, where the 

 oval tubers are described (p. 792) as occurring chiefly, but not exclusively, 

 in sterile plants, being formed at the ends of out-growths from the 

 thallus, and containing a farinaceous mass within a deeply coloured 

 envelope or cuticle. Attention is drawn to the presence of rootlets 

 upon the tubers, and the latter, which are to be regarded as gemmae, 

 are said to serve as organs which can resist drying during the hot 

 period of the year. 



In Riccia vesicata (Taylor), the tubers are described as oblong or 

 round and provided with rootlets (loc. cit. p. 795). 



In Riccia tuberosa (Taylor), the tubers are described as pale yellow, 

 rounded or oblong, slightly curved bodies, provided with rootlets, and 

 yielding, on compression in water, a small amount of farinaceous matter 

 and opaque globules (loc. cit. p. 796). 



Nothing is said about the tubers of Petalophyllum Preissii (Gottsche) 

 beyond the statement of their presence (loc. cit. p. 792). 



Recently Goebel 1 has found tubers on a Fossombronia (n. sp.) from 

 Tovar, which he finds are produced by the thickening, and filling with 



1 Flora. 1893. Band 77. G. Ruge, Beitrage z. Kentniss der Vegeta- 

 tionsorgane der Lebermoose. p. 305. 



