224 
APOSPORY IN FERNS. 
of the pseudobulbils themselves, which only came under close 
observation when already of considerable size.’” 
“ In framing this account of the occurrence, I have confined 
myself as strictly as possible to a simple and, I hope, clear record 
of the phenomena observed during the various stages of growth of 
the abnormal sporoid excrescences under observation. In conclusion, 
however, I may be permitted to point out, in connection with such 
phenomena that, so far as formal records are concerned, the family of 
Athyria has hitherto been remarkable for the nonproHferous character 
of the fronds, which, considering, first, its near relation to the 
Asplenia, so many of which are profusely proliferous, and, secondly, 
the protean nature of the family itself, is a singular fact. The 
discovery, however, of numerous proliferous buds which appeared 
upon some very small plants, which I exhibited here in 1882, led 
me to institute further inquiries into this subject. I then ascertained 
that Mr. Mapplebeck had already observed the same phenomenon, 
and raised plants from similar bulbils, which appeared identical in 
position and character with those of the As^plenia. Last year, as 
already remarked, I found another and very distinct form of 
proliferation on a mature plant of A. F.-f. jplumosivm divaricatum^ 
upon which numerous bulbils were evolved in the place of the sori ; 
this, be it observed, being on the under side of the pinnae, a most 
unlikely place for such growths. This same transformation of the 
reproductive energy had already been observed on three other 
kindred forms of Athyrium, upon one of which bulbils and sori were 
scattered almost indiscriminately over the back of the fronds, some 
of the sori seeming to be in an intermediate amorphous condition ; 
though in all other cases, so far as I could see, the sori and bulbils 
were distinctly differentiated by the presence, in the former case, 
of an indusium, and in the latter of lanceolate scales arranged 
shuttlecock fashion round the bulbils, no trace of indusium existing. 
Such bulbils had, until this season, failed invariably to yield plants, 
and seemed incapable of forming a proper axis of growth. Mr. Gr. 
B. Wollaston has, however, succeeded in obtaining plants this spring 
from A, F.-f. plumosum elegans, and one or two of those from A. 
F.-f. plumosum divaricatum have developed fresh fronds with me.” 
