ISOETES 



579 



PI. CXVIII. (Right Side.) 



1. Long double section of male and female, the develop- 

 ment of the parent cells commenced, the cells of male 

 contain granules or nuclei which are of a lustrous appear- 

 ance. 



2. Parent cells and surrounding tissue. 



3. One parent cell developing. 



4. Monstrosity of spore, from this it would appear that 

 there is a confluence of the outer membranes of the 

 young spores ; in this only one spore is developed, but 

 the membrane appears marked out for two more. 



5. spore, with the tegument derived from the parent. 



6. Do. under iodine. 



7. Do. parental cell separated spontaneously. 



The upper body is of constant occurrence, and presents 

 curious similarities to the earliest states of the female, its 

 cellularity however, is more early developed, and at a time 

 when the female is a mass of mucilaginous looking, obscurely 

 cellular tissue, its cells are tolerably distinct, and contain 

 granules see PI. CXVII. (Lower division) ; it is suffulted by a 

 membranous oblong cordate lamina, probably analogous to the 

 indusium : for it is assumable that this substance is in its 

 earliest stages actually immersed in the leaf, the female in 

 transmitted light is the more fuscous of the two. 



Above, the male ? consists of oblong distinct cells contain- 

 ing granules, outermost cells of both dorsum and face look as 

 if they were melting away. 



The immersed part of the male has larger and more round- 

 ed cells, the lamina has both cells containing granules and 

 often nucleary cells ? surfaces deliquescent (vide Lower divi- 

 sion of PI. CXVII.) it is much more advanced in cellu- 

 larity than the female, apex also truncate, it is deliquescent 

 and fucescent. In the very young state when the apex of the leaf 

 is barely longer than the dilated base, the male is a large ton- 

 gue-shaped fusco-grumous mass, spread as it were over the 

 surface of the upper part of the leaf. 



