Art. XI.—The Prothallia of Three New Zealand Lycopods.
By Miss K. V. Edgerley, M.A.
[Read before the Auckland Institute, 16th December, 1914.]
In no group of vascular cyptogams is so much variation shown in the gametophvte as in the genus Lycopodium. Up to the present time the species investigated include only tropical and European forms, though L. cernuum and L. Selago, two widely spread species, occur in New Zealand. The present investigation deals with the following New Zealand species: (1) L. volubile Forst., Prodr.; (2) L. scariosum Forst., Prodr.; (3) L. Billardieri Spring., Monog. Lycop.
Bibliography.
Up to recent times the prothallia of Lycopodium were quite unknown. The process of the germination of the spore in Lycopodium was first described by De Bary in 1858. Then Fankhauser, in 1873, described the mature prothallium of L. annotinum. Between 1884 and 1890 Treub obtained important results. He described the prothallium of L. cernuum from the germination of the spore to the formation of the young sporophyte. and demonstrated the presence of a protocorm in this species. He also described the prothallia of the epiphytic species L. phlegmaria, L. carina/ urn. L. nummularifolium, and L. Hippuris. In 1898-99 the mature prothallia of L. clavatum, L. annotinum, L. complanatum, and L. Selago were investigated by H. Bruchmann, and those of L. clavatum by Lang. Later, in 1910, Bruchmann added to his results.
All the investigators mentioned above deal with European or tropical species (except L. Selago and L. cernuum, very widely spread species). The only mention of New Zealand species is in a paper by Mr. J. Holloway, entitled wt A Comparative Study of the Anatomy of Six New Zealand Species of Lycopodium,'"* where he mentions the external features of the prothallia of L. cernuum, L. scariosum, L. laterale, and L. Billardieri.
Material and Methods.
Before going further it is advisable to say something of the material and methods employed in this investigation.
Several prothallia of L. volubile were found on the side of a bank on which a mature sporophyte and several young sporophytes were growing. Six of these prothallia were found attached to young sporophytes, but further search of the soil around revealed a single prothallium which gave no indication of bearing a sporophyte. Later this material was supplemented by abundant material collected some years ago by Mr. Holloway. The earliest stages of the prothallium, however, were not obtained; even the smallest examined already bore sexual organs.
The prothallia of L. scariosum was also gathered by Mr. Holloway, and in this case again all the • younger stages were wanting, even the smallest one sectioned showing the foot of a young sporophyte.
In the case of the epiphytic L. Billardieri, part of the material was obtained from Professor Thomas, and some fresh material was also gathered by the writer. These prothallia were found growing on trees, in humus
- Trans. N.Z. Inst,, vol. 42; p. 356, 1910.
