GENERAL REMARKS. 269 



In these plants we have the common occurrence of an ovu- 

 lum, existing in the cavity of the ovarium, hut we have the 

 uncommon fact of this ovulum not becoming the receptacle 

 of the reproductive bodies, but becoming removed unchanged 

 to a greater or less distance from its original situation. 



If the phenomena incident to fecundation affected this cell, 

 this ovulum, — the reproductive organs of both families might 

 fairly be assumed to be analogous to a seed, containing many 

 embryos. The mere quantity of these really reproductive or- 

 gans, could scarcely be urged as an objection, because such an 

 increase is to be expected in descending the series of animals 

 and vegetables. 



Thus in Coniferae, which are doubtless analogous to reptiles, 

 a partial increase is of common, perhaps of general occurrence 

 in fecundation, aeration, or squamation. 



But so far as I am aware, there is nothing analogous to the 

 steps of the phenomena as they do occur : for although 

 we are acquainted with instances in which the developement 

 of the embryo is altogether extraneous to the body of the 

 ovulum, the direction of the growth is completely reversed, 

 the original ovulum remaining fixed, the new growth being 

 protruded from it. This may perhaps hereafter be reducible 

 to the distinct manner of growth in Exogens, Endogens, and 

 Acrogens. 



And here we have a marked reference to the simplicity of 

 the reproductive organs in ferns, the growth of whose axes 

 is either identical with, or approaches nearly to that of 

 Endogens. 



Marchantiacese are apparently more reducible to an ordi- 

 nary type than Mosses, but this greater facility of reduction, 

 does not affect the consideration, as it only depends on the 

 shortness of the seta, and the comparative simplicity of the 

 capsule. 



Distant analogies between the capsule of mosses and its 

 contents, and the seeds of more perfect plants, may doubtless 

 be found, both in the compound nature of structure, and the 



