1922] BUCHHOLZ—VASCULAR PLANTS 257 
CHAMBERLAIN’S (10) description of several New Zealand Lyco- 
podium gametophytes includes two instances among his figures 
showing a plurality of young sporophytes. His figure of L. /aterale 
shows one sporophyte with protocorm and two protophylls, while 
a second embryo of much smaller size has just broken through 
the gametophytic tissue. L. volubile (fig. 12) is also shown with 
two young sporophytes, one nearly twice the size of the other. 
HoLioway (23, 24) has made an extensive study of New Zealand 
Lycopodium and Tmesipieris gametophytes, and has described a 
number of them. Tmesipieris has polyembryony, it is figured 
twice with two very young embryos, one of which is reproduced 
in fig. 10, and Lycopodium species are frequently shown with several 
sporophytes per gametophyte (fig. 11). From HoLioway’s letter, 
received in reply to an inquiry as to the occurrence of polyembryony 
among the New Zealand species of Lycopodium and Tmesipteris, 
the following paragraphs summing up these facts are taken: 
I have examined a large number of prothalli of Tmesipteris (most of them 
externally only), and have aegis vom not a few (I cannot say how many) 
bore two and even three well gr young plants on the same prothallus. 
These plantlets were foveoiioe ts healthily, and presumably would all continue 
to do so as the prothallus decayed away. Probably, of course, the time would 
then come when they would begin to crowd each other out... . . In the 
prothalli which I sectioned, I found two instances in which two archegonia 
side by side had been fertilized and were continuing their development. On 
one of these prothalli there was also the remains of the foot of an older plantlet. 
No other embryos were to be seen on these protnal.. ss . Again, there were 
several instances found in which two young embryos (more advanced than those 
mentioned in the last paragraph) were developing side by side, no more embryos 
being present on these prothalli. 
The prothallus of Tmesipteris is of comparatively large size, and archegonia 
are present on most parts of it in great numbers, so that the examination of 
more prothalli in section should show that this form of polyembryony is by 
no means uncommon. Also I have noticed that the prothallus can continue 
growing in size after a plantlet has become detached from it... . . I have 
examined a large number of prothalli of each of the following New Zealand 
Species of Lycopodium, both externally and in serial sections: L. cernuum, 
L. laterale, L. ramulosum, L. Billardieri, L. Billardieri gracile, L. varium, 
L. volubile, L. fastigiatum, L. scariosum. I can give the following facts: The 
prothalli of the first named three (L. cernuum, L. laterale, L. ramulosum) are 
comparatively small and short-lived. I have never observed on any of them 
