ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
457 
family ; others, as the Bryales, Filicales, and Lycopodiales, of a consider- 
able number. The Charace® are excluded. 
Origin of the Sexual Organs of the Pteridophytes.* — Prof. D. H. 
Campbell traces the probable origin of the archegone of Pteridophytes 
to a form like that of the Antliocerote®, which have the sexual organs 
completely imbedded in the thallus, and which differ from all other 
Bryophytes in having an antherid of endogenous origin. The elongated 
neck of the archegone and the projecting antherids of the Leptosporan- 
giat® are probably secondary developments. 
Adventitious Shoots of Phegopteris sparsiflora.t — Herr R. Sade- 
beck describes the structure and mode of formation of the tuberous 
adventitious structures on the frond of this fern. Their structure and 
mode of growth correspond with those of the rhizome. They lengthen 
by apical growth. Their cells contain a large amount of reserve food- 
material, but no differentiation of organs takes place while they are still 
attached to the mother-frond. The formation of these buds seems to be 
a provision for the maintenance of the species in connection with the 
very sparse production of sporanges. 
Root of Angiopteris.f — Dr. L. Koch describes in detail the structure 
and the mode of growth of the apex of the root of Angiopteris evecta, 
which present in many respects a condition intermediate between the 
single apical cell usual in Vascular Cryptogams, and the group of 
equivalent cells which make up the growing point in Flowering Plants. 
Fossil Plants of the Coal-measures. § — The late Prof. W. C. Wil- 
liamson and Dr. D. H. Scott give full details as to our present knowledge 
of the structure of Calamites , Calamostachys , and Sphenophyllum. Not- 
withstanding that the old idea that the so-called “ ribbed ” stem of 
Calamites is analogous to that of Equisetum has now been shown to be 
erroneous, there can be little doubt as to the affinity of the two genera. 
Calamostachys is also undoubtedly closely allied to Calamites; while 
Sphenophyllum occupies at present an isolated position among Vascular 
Cryptogams. 
Muscinese. 
Braithwaite’s British Moss-Flora.|j — Part xvi. of this fine work 
completes vol. ii., and with it the Acrocarpous Mosses. The present 
part is devoted to the two small families, Meeseace® and Mniacese, the 
former comprising the genera Meesea (1 sp.) and Paludella (1 sp.) ; the 
latter Gymnocybe (2 sp.), Orthopyxis (1 sp.), Timmia (1 sp.), Mnium 
(14 sp.), and Cinclidium (1 sp.). in a supplement three species are added 
which had been omitted in previous parts, as well as additional par- 
ticulars about a few other species, and a number of additional localities. 
Functions of the Elaters of Hepaticae.1 — According to Prof. K. 
Goebel, the function of the elaters of the Hepatic® is not always the 
* Bot. Gazette, xx. (1895) pp. 76-8. Cf. this Journal, 1892, p. 394. 
t Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., xiii. (1895) pp. 21-31 (I p].). 
1 Jahrb. f. wiss. Bot. (Pfeffer u. Strasburger), xxvii. (1895) pp. 369-402 (2 pis ) 
. § Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., clxxxv. (1895) pp. 863-959 (5 pis.). Cf. this Journal, 
ante, p. 338. || Vol. ii. 1895, 268 pp. and 49 pis. 
f Flora, lxxx. (1895) pp. 1-37 (1 pi. and 13 figs.). 
