21 



(Ecuador), P. crenatum (Cuba), and P. urophylliim 

 (Penang). In the last named species the sporangium 

 fairly bristles with spine-like hairs which give them quite 

 a formidable appearance. In these species also similar 

 hairs occur on the frond. Our own Phegopteris polypo- 

 dioides and P. hexagonoptera possess both glandular and 

 acute hairs on both sporangia and frond, the acute ones 

 being as long as the sporangium. Polypodium Hookeri 

 (Hawaii) is peculiar in having its frond clothed with 

 stiff dark brown hairs, which also occur several on each 

 sporangium. They are long and tapering and several 

 times the length of the sporangium. 



It is of interest to note that trichomic outgrowths occur 

 also on the heads of the paraphyses which are found 

 among the sporangia in the sorus of Polypodium vulgare. 



Briefly summarized, these observations indicate that 

 outgrowths strictly trichomic in their nature occur on the 

 sporangia of certain ferns, arising from the lateral walls 

 near the annulus ; that sporangial trichomes occur only 

 in such ferns as have similar trichomes on the surface of 

 the frond. Such an occurrence is perfectly consistent 

 with the known epidermal origin of fern sporangia. If 

 it is desired to find a use for all such structures, it is sug- 

 gested that the trichomes may be protective, since they 

 exist most commonly in non-indusiate species. 



I might also say that while examining a student's prep- 

 aration of developing sporangia in Ptcris crctica re- 

 cently, I noticed a branch from the stalk of one. which 

 appeared in all respects similar to the figure mentioned 

 above of Dryopteris Mix-mas. It bore every appearance 

 of being an aborted sporangium which had started to de- 

 velop from the stalk of an older one. 



Botanical Laboratory, Cornell University. 



Mr. E. J. Winslow sends us a frond of Woodsia hyper- 

 borea that measures more than eight inches in length. 

 This is rather above the maximum measurements given 

 for this plant. 



