KONGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. 3AND 20. N:0 5. i 
of the second order, which are ovate or ovato-triangular in circumference, of pretty 
equal size, very thin at the lower part of the side axis, somewhat denser upwards, 
although even here they are thin. With these branch-systems of the second order 
those systems of the first order, that issue nearer the summit of the main stem, agree. 
Branches of a higher order than the third are rare. The branches of the last order 
are fine as a hair, and there is a great difference in thickness between branches of the 
first and the second order. 
The summer and autumn plant of the first year presents the aspect shown by fig. 2. 
This is produced by the upper branch-systems and all lower branches of a higher or- 
der than the first in the spring plant, having fallen off either completely or so that 
only the lowest basal parts remain. The frond accordingly consists here of the main 
axis of the frond and the lower side-axes of the first order, all of which have increased 
in solidity and thickness. 
Older sterile specimens in spring. ‘The plant reaches a considerable size, at least 
I—2 feet high, very bushy. In ramification, older individuals agree with a plant of 
the first year’s growth, differing from it only by the ramification being more decom- 
pound. At the commencement of the new season, the organs of reproduction being 
developed, new branch-systems spring out from the perennial portions, sometimes re- 
sembling the primary branch-systems of the young plant, sometimes the whole plant 
of the first year, and sometimes being even more decompound than this. 
Older individuals in autumn resemble younger individuals at the same time of the 
year, differing only by being larger, more robust, and more decompound. 
Indwidual with antheridia, sporocarpia and tetrasporangia. 1 have found such 
individuals only during winter, in the months of December and January. ‘They agree 
with the autumn plants, except in the surviving parts being more or less densely co- 
vered with short, decompound branch-systems, sometimes single, sometimes gathered 
into thin tufts, issuing without visible order, ovate in circumference, with scarcely 
distinguishable main axis; fig. 3. When grown to the length of 2—3 mm., these 
already bear ripe antheridia or sporocarpia in various stages of development, from 
recently etablished until almost ripe; fig. 4—5. Certain tetrasporangic branch-systems 
or stands of tetrasporangia resemble the stands of antheridia and sporocarpia, and carry 
ripe tetrasporangia, even when only about 2 mm. long; fig. 6. Others are longer, less 
metamorphosed, with certain axes sterile, growing and branching, while the other side- 
axes bear a few tetrasporangia. I do not know for certain, which is the ultimate fate of these 
metamorphosed branch-systems thrown out by the autumn plant for the development 
of the organs of reproduction; but I have reason to believe that they are dissolved or 
fall off, when their functions are accomplished. However, one finds now and then, although 
rarely, at the end of spring or the commencement of summer, specimens that? differ in 
habit from the common spring plants by those portions, which have persisted through 
the winter, bearing bushy, long- and richly branched, not distinctly racemose branch- 
systems, whose axes throughout their whole length are beset with thinly scattered, 
very short, blunt, sometimes slightly club-shaped processes. These seem to point to 
these branch-systems being stands of sporocarpia grown out, possibly such whose car- 
