Bower. — Studies in the Phytogeny of the Filicales. 389 
but I have not been able myself to find such sporangia in my material. 
The details of the sporangia are variable, but the annulus is certainly 
interrupted at the insertion of the stalk in the great majority of cases. It is 
oblique and takes a sinuous course, as in Matteuccia , though the number of 
cells is less than in that genus. The characters which are thus prevalent in 
this species appear to be general for Blechnum. 
The general conclusion from study of B. Patersoni is that it is a type 
xerophytically reduced in form and structure ; that its sporophyll (though 
usually unbranched) is of a relatively advanced type, with its strongly intra- 
marginal origin of the indusial flap, the extended and flattened receptacle, 
and the mixed sorus. But on the other hand, the slightly oblique but 
typically interrupted annulus of the sporangia appears to be a character 
reminiscent of earlier forms, and comparison relates them with that of 
Matteuccia. 
Blechnum penna-marina (Poir), Kuhn ( = Lomaria alpina (Spreng.) . 
Specimens of this species were received from Dr. Cockayne, F.R.S., 
and also from Mr. C. E. Foweraker, District High School, Waimate, New 
Zealand ; some material was also obtained from 
Kew, from specimens from the Falkland Islands. 
It is a creeping species with elongated rhizome 
and strongly dimorphic leaves. Of these the 
sterile are coriaceous, with short obtuse pinnae. 
The fertile leaves are taller, with pinnae of the 
type of B. spicant as seen externally, but shorter 
and broader towards the base, and when mature 
the sporangia appear spread over the whole 
under surface, which is itself unusually broad. 
There is, in fact, a definite approach to an ‘ Acrosti- 
choid ’ condition. 
The leaf-trace comes off as two small strands 
from the dictyostele of the axis, the latter cor- 
responding in its relation to the leaf- and root- 
traces to the usual Blechnoid construction, but drawn out in accordance 
with the elongation of the rhizome. This is apparent from Text-fig. 9. 
Here there are five meristeles of the axis. The positions of the leaf-traces 
are numbered successively from below upwards : 1 shows the root-trace 
just separating, and the meristeles beginning the formation of the leaf-trace 
strands ; 3 shows these more advanced ; in 3 the leaf-trace strands have 
separated, and are passing out ; in 4 they are further out, and the leaf-base 
is beginning to take its outline. Clearly the type is the same as in 
B. Patersoni , but greatly extended. 
The structure of the young pinna follows the type of B. attenuatum , 
Text-fig. 9. Blechnum 
■benna- marina (Poir), Kuhn. 
Transverse section of the stock ; 
the leaf-gaps numbered in suc- 
cession from below upwards. 
X15. 
