Studies in the Morphology of Spore-producing Members. 137 



• - 



December 5, 1895. 



Sir JOSEPH LISTER, Bart., President, in the Chair. 



Professor Thomas Purdie and Mr. Gr. H. Bryan were admitted into 

 the Society. 



The President announced that he had appointed as Vice-Presi- 

 dents — 



The Treasurer. 

 Mr. W. Crookes. 

 Dr. Huggins. 

 Prof. Lankester. 



A List of the Presents received was laid on the table, and thanks 

 ordered for them. 



The following Papers were read : — 



I. " Studies in the Morphology of Spore-producing Members. 

 Part II. Ophioglossacese." By F. 0. Bower, D.Sc, F.R.S., 

 Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow, 

 Received October 15, 1895. 



(Abstract.) 



In a paper published in the ' Philosophical Transactions ' (Series B, 

 1894), the comparative study of the spore-bearing members of the 

 Lycopodinese, including the Psilotaceae, has led to the conclusion that 

 there is reasonable probability that septation of sporangia originally 

 simple, to form synangia, has taken place ; that a septate body 

 (synangium) may be homologous with a non-septate body (simple 

 sporangium) ; and that there is no essential difference between tissue 

 which will form septa or trabeculse, and that which will form spores, 

 since the tissues can mutually undergo conversion one into the other. 



But the considerations there brought forward do not amount to an 

 actual demonstration that septation has occurred. For the purpose 

 of our discussion, it is important to ascertain whether such demon- 

 stration can be given in the case of parts which are undoubtedly 

 homologous ; it is afforded by the study of septate anthers, which 

 occur in several distinct families of Angiosperms, e.g., Mimoseee, 

 Onagraceas, Loranthaceao, Myrsinese, Rhizophoreae, Orchidacese, 

 Rafflesiacese. Taking the case of the Onagraceae, the common type 



VOL. LIX. L 



