EARLY STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPORO- 
PHYTE OF SPHAGNUM SUBSECUNDUM 
Geo. S. Bryan 
In the spring of 1913 while following through the life cycle of Sphagnum 
in the field the writer was able to find a great wealth of young sporophytic 
material. In order to make a detailed study several strengths and com- 
binations of chromic and acetic acids were used as fixing agents. However, 
it was extremely disappointing to find that in every case the young sporo- 
phytes were completely plasmolyzed so that an interpretation of sectioned 
parafiin material was impossible. Time now being an important factor, 
as a last resort the dissection of the young sporophytes from the venters of 
the archegonia was undertaken. While the task was a laborious one, it 
proved to be relatively simple. The archegonia were first dissected from 
the tips of the branches on which they were growing. Then the basal 
portion of each venter, or, in the older stages, of the swollen stalk was 
carefully dissected, using slender needles for the operation. After the 
venter or the swollen stalk had been opened, gentle pressure on the neck of 
the archegonium was usually sufficient to cause the young sporophyte to 
slip out. 
More than one hundred young sporophytes were examined. The study 
and drawings were made from the living material and are illustrative of 
the general conditions found. While the results confirm in a general way 
the work of Waldner, there are points of difference which make the publi- 
cation of these observations seem worth while. 
Historical 
In 1858 Schimper^ first attempted to trace the development of the 
sporophyte of Sphagnum. He described the first wall as being almost 
horizontal; then quickly follow radial, vertical, and horizontal walls, so 
that in a short time the single cell has become a long, many-celled, pear- 
shaped body. Schimper further thought that only the lower part of the 
young sporophyte — that which bores its way into the stalk of the arche- 
gonium — develops into the mature capsule. The upper portion he believed 
disintegrated and was resorbed. 
In 1887 Waldner^ studied the details of the development of the sporo- 
phyte using chiefly Sphagnum acutifolium Ehrh. He states that the egg 
1 Schimper, W. P. Versuch einer Entwickelungsgeschichte der Torfmoose. Pp. 96, 
pis. 1-27. Stuttgart, 1858. 
2 Waldner, M. Die Entwickelung der Sporogone von Andreaea und Sphagnum. 
Pp. 25, pis. 1-4. Leipzig, 1887. 
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