The Anatomy of Nephrolepis volubilis J.Sm. 263 
A study of the lateral plant revealed certain interesting differ¬ 
ences from Chandler’s 1 account of the sporeling. The most striking 
feature in which the lateral plant differs is the comparative rapidity 
of its development. This difference may perhaps be explained by 
the fact that the two kinds of plants start life at different stages, 
the lateral plant having a better start than the sporeling, on account 
of the ready-made channels of food- and water-supply afforded by 
the well-developed stolon at its base. This comparative rapidity of 
development finds expression in the fact that the first leaf may be 
well-developed and possesses a compound leaf-trace, whereas in the 
sporeling it is not till after the fourth leaf 2 that such a condition is 
reached. The primitive stage of the simple arc-like trace described 
by Chandler on p. 391 is also thus skipped over by the lateral 
plant. 
(2) N. Whitmanni. I am indebted to Mr. Lynch for kindly 
ascertaining that this is a garden variety of N. rufescens Presl. 
Material of the stolons and of lateral plants obtained from the 
Cambridge Botanic Garden, showed such a close correspondence in 
external and internal structure and in the mode of branching, even 
in details, with N. cordifolia, that no more need be said about it. 
The stolons in one specimen had attained a length of nearly two 
metres, and were still growing vigorously. 
(3) N. rufescens tripinnatifida . 3 In the usual structure of the 
stolons this plant is identical with the above, and is only mentioned 
here because one case of branching was seen (? abnormal) which 
looked exactly like that mentioned by Lachmann 4 for N. Dnjfii. 
Transverse sections showed that the preparation for the division 
of the axial strand began at a distance of not less than three 
centimetres from the actual fork. A root arose in the neighbour¬ 
hood of the fork, but not exactly at that level; its bundle ran for 
about 2-3 mm. inside the cortex of the stolon before entering it. 
(4) N.Duffii (according to GoebePa mutationfrom N.cordifolia). 
A photograph is given (PI. IV, fig. 5) of a cross-section of the forking 
stolon in order to show the relation of the four protoxylem groups 
of each arm with one another and with the root-strand. The latter 
has apparently been given off by the stolon on the right-hand side, 
1 Chandler, l.c., p. 389. 
1 Chandler, l.c., p. 391. 
3 According to Baker (Ann. of Bot., 1891, vol. V, p. 331) a garden form of 
N. acuta Presl., itself closely allied to N. rufescens Presl. 
4 Lachmann, l.c., pp. 149-50., PI. V, figs. 17-20. ’ 
6 Goebel, Flora, 1907, p. 42. 
