pyriformis, ápice rcgulariter vel irregûlariter'dehiscens, et
sporas emittcns. Sporæ globosæ, hyalinæ, massa grumoso-
subiiiLicilagiiiosa iiifarctæ, utrículos implentes.
“ / / . mirabiUs.—FïYis inequalibus viridibus brevibus, septis
semi-pellucidis ; sporis e capsulis emissis ad fascículos con-
jun ctis ; utriculis cylindricis diámetro dupli-triplo longioribus,
hinc iude ad glóbulos tumesccntibus, qui, secret! ab aliis
utriculis, u t animalcula infusoria, se movent et, rumpentes
eorum membrana, sponis em ittu nt.”
F o r the following translation of Meyen’s remarks upon
the above species I am indebted to Mr. Kippist, to whom I
may take this opportunity of rendering my best thanks for
the kindness and readiness with which tha t gentleman has
always undertaken Avhatever could facilitate the progrèss of
this AVork : —
“ This plant is found In a Avater-tank of one of the Avarmest
houses of the botanic garden at Bonn. I first observed It
In the beginning of January of the present year (1827). I t
Avas at that time already in fruit, and during a period of
three and a half months, during Avhich I have observed it, it
has continued quite in the same condition In Avhich I at first
found it.
“ I t is a constant character o f this Conferva, that the fruit
capsule appears at that end o f the filament b y Avhich it is a ttached
to the side Avail o f the Avater-tank, and from the great
mass o f spores scattered by the capsule, all the Confervoe
Avhich spring up at the same spot groAV together into such a
heap that their basis appears o f an almost uniform black,
from Avhich the Confervoe project in a radiating manner. I
have not y e t succeeded in determining whether the threads
have first attached themselves to the Avail o f the tank, after
the formation o f the capsule, or Avhether the last jo int, b y
Avhich they , as it AA^ere, take root on the wall, may have
gradually assumed the form o f a pear-shaped capsule, Avith
an extended neck. E v en i f in this latter case the explanation
of the structure o f the capsule should present further difficulties,
I might still be able to explain them. I have but
very seldom been able to observe the streaming out from the
capsule of the masses of spores, Avhlch Avcrc surrounded by’
a bright green granular mucilaginous mass, and thus Avere
held together in a ball. I ha\’e never been ablé to observe
in the interior of this mass any peculiar motion of the
spores, yet I have seen that during the discharge {Ausstro-
men) several seeds separated themselves from the principal
mass, and then exhibited a high degree of voluntary motion,
Avhlch often lasted a long time, and Avhich still belonged to
them when they had distinctly increased in length, apparently
in order to produce new individuals : this occurrence I
have not actually been able to observe in this species, but I
hope that during this summer it Avill not escape me.
“ The above-mentioned capsule is exhibited in very different
forms in the accompanying tables; it ordinarily presents a pear-
shaped figure, Avith a more or less elongated neck, which frequently
expands Into the form o f a funnel ; the breadth of the
capsule is greater at the base than that of the next joint. The
gradual developement of this organ, Avhich I have not been able
to observe here, Avill be given Avith the folloAvIng species. I t
is hoAvever to be observed that the capsule, after the discharge
o f the spores, separates from the filament, and then presents
the form Avhlch is to be seen in figures 8 and 9.
“ The filaments are dissimilai-, and, Avith advancing age,
the dissimilarity increases, so that, at lengtii, the elliptical
form of an utriculus passes into a perfectly spherical one.
I had the good fortune to observe hoAV such a spherical
utriculus separated Itself, under my eyes, from the other
tubes {Schläuchen), and, existing only for itself, moved, I
might almost say voluntarily, with incredible SAviftness in all
directions. Figure 11. a and b shoAV these detached spherical
utrlcull; and, Avhilst observing them, I succeeded, bybloAving
on the object-bearer, in hastening this separation, and then
observed the free motion of the separated tube. With regard
to the structure of this organ, it is to be observed, that it is
usually as simple as that of the ordinary utriculus, whilst the
spherical cell is closely filled Avith masses of spores. In one
part, hoAvcver, of the circumference of the sphere may be seen,
upon close examination, a transparent portion, like an affixed