PTERIDOPIIYTES 



153 



modium that grows among the blocks of sporogenous cells and ramifies 

 into every intercellular space (fig. 360). 



Gametophyte. — The gametophyte is of the Lycopodium type. In 

 Ophioglossum, \\hich is regarded as the most primitive genus, the game- 

 tophyte is a tuberous, subterranean body that gives 

 rise to aerial green lobes that bear the sex organs. 

 In Bolrychium there is no aerial portion, the game- 

 tophyte being completely subterranean and tuberous 

 (fig. 361). In Helminthostacliys the gametophyte is 

 somewhat intermediate in structure, the tuberous body 

 giving rise to a cylindrical aerial process that bears 

 the sex organs. In every case the tuberous body lo.ngia.oi'ophiogio. 

 contains an endophytic fungus, as in the gametophyte ■^"'"•' diagrammatic 

 of Lycopodium. It is evident that the gametophyte 



Fig. 359. — Spo- 



cross section of fer- 

 tile spike, showing 



of the Ophioglossales suggests that of the Lyco- tlie two sporoge- 



podiales; but that the no"s bands at 



1 , . Ti different stages. — ■ 



sporophyte is more like ^^^^^ ^^^^^ 

 that of Filicales. 



Sex organs. — The antheridia develop 

 as usual among the eusporangiates, the 

 inner cell, following the periclinal division 

 of the superficial initial, giving rise to the 

 spermatogenous tissue. The sperms are 

 large, coiled, and multiciliate, a type not 

 found among the Lycopodiales, but char- 

 acteristic of the Filicales. 



The archegonium of Ophioglossum has 

 a very short neck, the neck canal cells 

 being only two in number, the same 

 reduced number as in Equisetum. In 

 Bolrychium (figs. 362-365) the neck of the 

 „ . , , archegonium is long, but contains only 



Fig. 360. — Portion of a nearly o o; j 



mature sporangium of Ophio- four neck canal cells. 



glossum, showing the tapetal Embryo. — In general there is no sus- 



plasmodium (with nuclei) among by^ j^ j^e recently described genus 



the groups of mother cells. — '^ . . _ •' . 



After Bower. Sceptridium a massive suspensor is re- 



ported, at least for one species (formerly 

 Botrychiiim oUiquum). There is no differentiation of the great body 

 regions at the quadrant stage, but in Bolrychium, for example, there is 



