464 
Notes. 
many instances immediate conjugation was observed between the 
gametes. He further found that the zoospores which failed to con- 
jugate immediately after being set free from the sporangium, very 
soon entered on the resting condition, and in this state were incapable 
of being fertilized. 
This fact leads us to inquire if, when the zoospores from the 
plurilocular sporangia fail to conjugate — assuming for the moment 
that in all cases they are true gametes — they perish ; or are they 
capable of germinating partbenogenetically and giving rise to healthy 
plants? Sauvageau has been enabled to settle this question, and to 
prove that in Edocarpus virescens , at any rate, these zoospores are 
not obligatory gametes, in the sense that they must conjugate or else 
perish ; for after escaping from the plurilocular sporangia they move 
about for some time, and then become fixed, and later on germinate 
‘ with the greatest ease and regularity/ 
The researches of Berthold, Sauvageau, and Kuckuck, would seem 
to place beyond all doubt the true sexual nature of the conjugating 
gametes of Edocarpus siliculosus and Scytosiphon lomeniarius ; but, 
in other cases, not yet fully examined, it is impossible to say definitely 
whether we have to deal with asexual zoospores, or with zoospores 
possessing a potential sexuality, on account of the great variability 
of their behaviour after they are set free from the sporangium. 
Having regard to the great similarity between the antherozoids of 
Edocarpus siliculosus and those of Fucus , and to the resemblance 
between the modes of the sexual process in these plants, there seems 
to be no reason why the Phaeophyceae should be divided into the 
two series, Phaeosporae and Phaeogamae. 
My best thanks are due to Professor Johnson, who suggested to 
me some time ago to examine material of Petrospongium for pluri- 
locular sporangia, P. Berkeleyi being found plentifully at low water 
at some points on the Irish coast. 
H. HANNA. 
Royal College of Science, Dublin . 
SOME REMARKABLE MARINE MONOCOTYLEDONS IN 
JAPAN. — A discovery of unusual interest to Japanese botanists was 
made in the Luchuan Islands. On my botanical tour in the Yaye- 
yama Archipelago, situated close to Formosa, I found a remarkable 
