1903.] ON THE VEGETATIVE MULTIPLICATION. 3 



remaining portion only by its being more compact and made of roundish 

 cells which are rich in contents. The central axis of a knob is constructed 

 as a lateral branch of a basal cell of hair-leaves. This is also the case for 

 all other branches. 



Now, the neck, which connects knob with ramulus, is very loosely 

 constructed. The axial cell is very slender here and cells of the intermediate 

 layer as well as of the epidermal, are much smaller, slenderer and fewer, 

 as compared with those of the similar position of remaining portion. A 

 knob or bud-like ramellum richly stored with reserve-material and furnished 

 with its own growing apex could not be considered as anything else than 

 a body destined for propagation, and more it must be looked upon as such 

 if we know that it is constructed so as to be very easily detached. Were 

 the reserve-material provided for future use of the plant, the body itself 

 should naturally be more firmly connected with ramuli, and it would be 

 beyond any question about its propagative nature, if root-like structure may 

 be found in those knobs. Fortunately enough, I have succeeded to find 

 out the beginning of root-fibres in some knobs. At two places just 

 adjoining the portion where the knob is attached, I have found a slight 

 prominence which, as it is seen in the longitudinal section, is composed of 

 a little elongated epidermal cells, filled up with protoplasmic contents. 

 They are longer and somewhat larger than the remaining cortical cells and 

 are different in colour and appearance. Those prominences are quite 

 identical Avith the well-known formation of secondary holdfast,^^ as it is seen 

 on the margin of Nitophylhcm and others. I searched vainly for elong- 

 ated root -fibres, but I want to believe that prominent cells afterward 

 protrude as root-fibres. Also, I am not yet able to find the exact way by 

 which the portion, harmed by detachment of the knob, is healed up ; but 

 it might be supposed that such a portion is cured by a way something like 

 the formation of new cells, as Ktister^^ and Massart^^ have already studied 

 in other algae. 



Thus, my supposition might not fail to prove that it is the same case 

 as we see in the similar propagative organs of Begonia, Lilium, &c. Among 



1). ■ Stromfelt. — Untersuchungen iiber die Haftorgane der Algen. (Bot. Centralbl. Bd. 

 33. 1888. p. 400). 



2). Kiister, E. — Ueber Vernarbungs- iind Prolifications-erscheiniingen bei Meeresalgen. 

 (Flora. Bd. LXXXVI. 1899. p. 143-160. 6 figs.) 



3). Massart, J.~La cicatrisation chez les vegetaux. (ref. Bot. Centralbl. Bd. 75. 1898. 

 p. 349). 



