352 Bower. — Studies in the Phytogeny of the Filicales. VIII. 
lying obliquely below the equator of the sporangium ; but, as shown by com¬ 
parison of Figs. 4, 5, 6, it may be either right or left of the stalk. I do 
not remember any previously recorded example of this. The fact has an 
interest in the general theory of the annulus, and of its relation to the whole 
sporangium. Clearly where the annulus is vertical, as in the Polypodiaceae, 
the distal face of the sporangium can only be distinguished from the 
proximal by a careful analysis. In the sporangia of Dryopteris this is 
possible, but in most of the Polypodiaceae it would be at least extremely 
difficult. Where as in the Gradatae the annulus is oblique, and consequently 
the distal and proximal faces are really distinguished, this difficulty does 
not arise. Nevertheless, there is in them, I think, no record hitherto of the 
4 5 6 
, Fig. 4. Sporangium of Loxsomopsis notabilis , presenting its distal face, in the middle of which 
one cell appears indurated, x 80. 
Pig. 5. Sporangium with stalk of several rows probably as in Dicksonia , but short conical in 
torm as in Loxsoma. 39 cells of annulus. Loxsoma has approximately same number. x 80. 
Pig. 6. Loxsomopsis notabilis. Sporangium attached to the receptacle, with two hairs. The 
distal face of the sporangium is to the left, the proximal to the right. The stomium and slit of 
dehiscence have been on the side remote from the observer. x 80. 
fact that the dehiscence may be either right or left in the same Fern. Com¬ 
parison of Figs. 4, 5, 6. puts the fact beyond doubt. In Figs. 5 and 6 the 
dehiscence is on the left-hand side of the distal face as it would be seen in 
surface view ; in Fig. 4 it is on the right. This variability of position will 
be found interesting in the detailed comparison of the sporangia of Loxsoma 
and Loxsomopsis. It is difficult to make correct spore-enumerations from 
dry material. But such observations as have been possible in L. costari- 
censis and in L. notabilis point in both species to a number of not less than 
sixty-four in each normal sporangium. 
Comparing the sporangia of Loxsomopsis with the well-known structure 
of those of Loxsoma, the general type is the same, with a relatively thick 
stalk, and an oblique annulus forming a complete ring which marks off the 
distal or peripheral face (to the left in Fig. 6) from the proximal or central 
