VOLUME LIX NUMBER 5 
fie Se 2 
DOTANICAL (GAZETTE 
MAY 1915 
BRANCHING IN THE OPHIOGLOSSACEAE 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 202 
LOREM CoCPE rey 
(WITH PLATES XX AND XXI AND SIX FIGURES) 
The occurrence of branching of the rhizome in this family was 
mentioned by ROEPER (13) in 1859, when he described and figured 
specimens of Botrychium Lunaria in which the rhizome bore lateral 
branches. The origin of such branches was investigated by 
BrucuMann (2), who concluded that they were from adventitious 
buds of superficial origin. FARMER and FREEMAN (4) had already 
ascribed the occasional monopodial branching of Helminthostachys 
to the occurrence of adventitious buds. In 1902, GWYNNE- 
VAUGHAN (5) pointed out that small conical masses of parenchyma 
occur regularly in the axils of the leaves in this genus and suggested 
that these are vestigial buds. This view has been confirmed by 
Lane (8), who found that the branches are always axillary in 
position. The same writer (9) has also shown the regular occur- 
Tence of similar vestigial buds in the axils of the leaves in B. 
Lunaria, and has demonstrated that the branches of the rhizome 
arise from these, and not from buds of adventitious origin, as stated 
by BrucHMann. 
A branching rhizome of Ophioglossum vulgatum was figured by 
STENZEL (14) in 18 58; although no statement was made, the figure 
clearly indicates that the branching is dichotomous. VAN TIEGHEM 
(15) reported similar specimens and, disregarding ROEPER’S 
figures, stated that all branching of the rhizome in this family is 
345 
