202 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO. 
distribution of the spores. The hygroscopic band is formed, as in 
Eijuisetum , out of a third thin membrane, the epispore, exterior to the 
endospore and exospore. The mode of attachment of this band to the 
spore appears to vary. 
Stem of Catamites.* — Mr. T. Hick describes the primary structure 
of the stem of Catamites , previous to the commencement of secondary 
thickening. An especial character is the remarkable features of the 
tissue which makes up the inner zone of the cortex. It consists of large 
elongated cellular elements, standing in vertical rows, with no sign of 
thickening or sculpturing on their walls. 
Muscineae. 
Annulus of Mosses.f — Herr H. Dihm describes in detail the structure 
of the annulus of the capsule in a large number of genera of Bryaceae. 
He regards the annulus as an invariable constituent of the capsule, 
though in some cases present in only a rudimentary form. Its purpose 
is to bring about a separation between the wall of the capsule and the 
opercule. This is usually effected by one or more layers of cells which 
are tilled with mucilage swelling up by absorption of moisture when the 
capsule is ripe, and thus causing the two parts to become detached from 
one another. In other cases the separating layer consists of small thick- 
walled cells of great mechanical tenacity. As a general rule the struc- 
ture of the annulus is remarkably uniform within the same genus. In 
the Tetraphideae the cells of the opercule contain so large an amount of 
mucilage, that this organ itself swells and rolls up so as to bring about 
the opening of the capsule. 
Chromatophores of Asterophyllum sylvaticum.J — Mr. A. C. Stokes 
has studied the structure of the chlorophyll-bodies in this moss, where 
they are easily observed in consequence of the transparency of the leaves. 
The number of these structures in each cell is very small. The author 
was unable to detect in them any appearance of hbrillae. They are 
pitted or spongy, the pits being comparable to those in the shell of a 
diatom ; from the boundaries of the pits proceed green bars or trabecules, 
forming a reticulate structure. Each chlorophyll-body is probably at 
all times surrounded by a membrane, which can be made out especially 
when it is undergoing the process of bipartition, and it is furthermore 
imbedded in a coating of the cell-protoplasm. The cytoplasm consists of 
tine threads springing from the nucleus, which connect the chlorophyll- 
bodies with one another, and are in continuous quivering movement. A 
similar structure of the chlorophyll-bodies was observed in some other 
plants. 
Notothylas.§ — Mr. D. M. Mottier has followed out the life-history 
of this genus of Hepaticse, especially of the American species N. orbicu- 
laris. He finds the capsule to possess a columel varying in size with 
that of the capsule. It originates, as in Anthoceros , primarily in the young 
sporogone with the archespore and independently of it ; it is, therefore, 
* Mem. Manchester Lit. and Phil. Soc., 1893, 4, pp. 158-70 (1 pi.). 
f Flora, lxxix. (1894) Erganzungsbd., pp. 286-349 (3 pis.). 
X Bull. Torrey But. Club, xxi. (1894) pp. 396-406 (8 figs.). 
§ Ann. Bot., viii. (1894) pp. 331-402 (2 pis.). 
