154 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLI 



The very much larger leaves of 0. pendulum show a corre- 

 spondingly larger number of vascular strands. Fig. 13, A to D, 

 shovi's sections through the petiole, base of lamina, and spike of a 

 medium size specimen. In the former eighteen bundles could be 

 seen, of which probably seven or eight are destined to supply the 

 spike. In the basal part of the lamina six or seven adaxial bundles 

 are plainly visible below the slightly projecting region which marks 

 the coherent portion of the peduncle. In both this species and 

 0. intermedium the free portion of the peduncle is comparatively 

 slender, and the number of 

 bundles less than in the broad- 

 er basal part. In the speci- 

 men figured there were three 

 bundles, of which the middle 

 one was evidently doubled, 

 and was clearly formed by the 

 coalescence of some of the 

 bundles before they left the 

 adherent part of the peduncle. 

 Higher up there were five 

 bundles arranged in a semi- 

 circle. The same arrange- 

 ment was found in the peduncle 

 of a larger specimen (Fig. 13, 

 E) taken from the spike which is shown in Fig. 3, D. 



The complete absence of the adaxial strands in the petiole of 

 the sterile leaf, even at its base, is a strong confirmation of the view 

 suggested by both the older leaf and the younger stages that the 

 peduncle really extends to the extreme base of the petiole and is 

 joined directly to the rhizome. 



BOTRYCHIUM. 



The only species of liotrychium available for study was 0. 

 lanugimmtm Wall. ((.IIccKmI at Iloiton Plains in the uplands of 

 Ceylon. Tlie an aiigt-incnt <»f t!ic hiindles in the leaf of this species 

 agrees in the main with that of the otlier species that have been 

 studied (see Bitter, loc. cit., p. 458). The leaf trace divides into 



