Ii BPATlOitt. 



shelter in some degree the young female flower. There is little 

 or no green matter in the cella of the involucrum : the lim- 

 briflO are 0001 posed of a simple series of Cell*. The involutTuni 

 is directly continuous with the outer part of the frond, within 

 it is the female flowers situated on soft greenish tissue, from 

 the base of which rises the perianth, which is at the epoch of 

 fecundation very rudimentary, consisting of nothing but irre- 

 gular confervoid filaments, which form the h'mbrae of its subse- 

 quent, (mature) obscure mouth, or apex. 



The plane of insertion of the female flower is a little above 

 the plane of the superficies of the frond, but the plane of 

 insertion or origin of the Perianthium is the same as that of 

 the upper surface of the frond. 



There are several pistilla, in every respect similar to those of 

 Musci ; of these, the laxer have the apices of the styles dilated, 

 and to me evidently opening a communication with the canal; 

 this last is conspicuous, and in those which retain their virginity, 

 rounded, and entirely closed. The origin (intimate) of the Pis- 

 tilla, is from a very short conical pedicel, base rather below the 

 plane of insertion of the Perianthium. • There is no evident 

 Connection with the midrib or fascicule of fibres. 



The fecundated Pistlila are perhaps the uppermost, and 

 there seems a tendency to produce rudimentary ones round 

 the base of the gynophore. The style is about 4 gonal, and 

 the series of cells towards the apex have a twisted appearance, 

 an attempt as it were to assume the form of a spire. 



The cavity of the ovary in some, looks like a mere space 

 OPfCUred by grume, occurring between the four rows of cells, 

 of which the ovary is principally composed, and which run np 

 from it, forming the style ; — but when it has increased in dia- 

 meter, the contracted appearance of the cells ceases, and the 

 Ovary then presents the appearance of a distinct central ob- 

 long cell : in one, it looked erect, in the other, the outline is 

 traceable all round, ami this had a grumous micella. 



Pressure under 1-10, in both instances only eaused the 

 the ovary to burst and discharge a finely grumous fluid. 



