220 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [SEPTEMBER 
some almost mature sporangia the tapetum is alive, while in others very 
little older the tapetum is entirely empty, but granules and droplets are 
abundant along its inner face. The emptying process is apparently a 
rapid one, as a considerable number of sporangia were found in both con- 
ditions but none in any intermediate stages. The cells of the tapetum 
retain their shape for a considerable time and do not become crushed 
and flattened until much later. The subarchesporial pod is well developed 
(fig. 2) and slightly irregular in outline, but does not form processes m the 
sporangium. 
The leaves afford little protection to the sporangia except in the very 
early stages, owing to the fact that they are relatively narrow (figs. 3, 5) 
and soon become recurved. The line of dehiscence, which is marked by 
smaller cells than the rest of the wall, is median (figs. 1, 3).—ALMA G. 
STOKEY, Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII 
Fic. 1.—Longitudinal section of sporangium. X 28. 
Fic. 2.—Tangential section of a sporangium. X 26. fo 
Fic. 3.—Transverse section through base of sporangium and sporangum 
stalk. X28. ; 
Fic. 4.—Section of part of the wall of sporangium. 345. 
Fic. 5.—Transverse section of sporangium. X28. ae F 
Fic. 6.—Longitudinal section through leaf, showing one of the initial cells 0 
the sporangium. 725. : 
Fic. 7.—Longitudinal section through stem tip, showing three stages ™ 
development of sporangia. X 36. oo alee 
c. 8.—Longitudinal section of young sporangium, showing origin 0 ¥ 
layers X345. 
THE BOTANICAL CONGRESS AT BRUSSELS 
The Third International Botanical Congress was held at Bre ae 
Belgium, May 14-22, 1910. Saturday, the 14th, was the day for 7 a 
tion. On Sunday, the 15th, the members of the congress assisted . ” 
session of the Royal Botanical Society of Belgium held in the geet 
of the large building connected with the Jardin Botanique, at which sev 
interesting papers were presented by the members of the society. pet g 
the general sessions of the congress were held in the same room, the ie 
session on Monday morning the 16th, and the closing one on Sunday ne 
22d. No regular sessions of the congress were held in the evening> ts, 
during the week several interesting papers on phytogeogr aphical mr 
economic botany, etc., were given in the evening. 
