and the Globules of Char a vulgaris. 383 
the anthers in flowering plants.* They contain a yellowish granular 
matter, the particles of which, as far as I have observed, possess no 
definite form. I am not aware that any experiments have been made 
in order to ascertain the relative importance of these two kinds of 
reproductive organs in Pilularia ; but in Lindley's Natural System of 
Botany it is stated, that Professor Savi of Pisa found that in Salvi- 
nia, belonging to the natural order Marsileaceae, the seeds so called, 
and the supposed small globules, must both be present to produce 
germination in the former. Duverney, on repeating Savi's experi- 
ments, has, however, observed that the seeds when separated from 
the small particles, were capable of developement. The presence 
of fecula and oil in the larger reproductive bodies of Pilularia would 
seem to indicate an analogy between them and the seeds in flower- 
ing plants. 
Recently, while examining the globules and nucules of Chara vul- 
garis, I remarked, that the former of these contain in many instances 
round transparent particles intermixed with the filaments. These par- 
ticles give a blue colour with iodine. The presence of fecula seems, 
however, to be of rare occurrence in the globules, as it is much more 
frequently absent than present. Dr Greville describes the nucule as 
being " sessile, oval, solitary, spirally striated, having a membranous 
covering, and the summit indistinctly cleft into five segments ; the 
interior is filled with minute sporules." These so called sporules are 
particles of fecula, which may easily be demonstrated by bruising a 
nucule in a drop of water under the microscope ; the round particles 
which issue will be found to possess all the physical characters of 
fecula enumerated by Raspail, and finally, the addition of a drop of 
solution of iodine will decide their nature. Along with the fecula 
in the nucule, a fixed oil is also present. 
* Lindley suggests that they are abortive sacs analogous to the larger bodies. 
