ken to
these views, some will say these young ramenta are nothing but young
scales as the older ones evidently are scales; but this amounts to
nothing, because we may expect simplicity in the sexual organs of this
division, and it will be only a proof of the uniformity of nature in
making so great a difference in a function depend on, or be associated
with so small a one in form. My view I think explains their uniformly
brown colour--analogous to Brown's sphacelation in mutatis mutandis.

Others will say how absurd the idea is, when you cannot show the place to
which the impregnating influence is to be applied. But the consideration
of mosses does away with this objection partly, and that of Anthoceros,
entirely; because in mosses, the _ovule_, or pre-existing cell, ready to
receive the male influence becomes an empty cell, terminating the seta;
and the sporula become developed at its opposite end, the first growth
appearing to be quite unconnected with that of the future reproductive
organs: and in Anthoceros there is no fixed punctum ready for the
application of the male organs, but these have to form a communication
with the lower, or inferior cellular tissue of the frond, before even the
growth of seta can commence.

Besides a case in point exists in Viscum, or Loranthus, in which no point
is ready prepared for the reception of the male influence; showing how
universal the law is, that in no one point or place is there an absolute
want of gradation.

As in mosses the influence of the male _disregarding the ovule_, is
thrown into the development of the seta, and then of the theca at the
apex of this; there can be no conclusive reason why in ferns the same
influence should be thrown into the development of the frond, and then
into that of the theca.

While Anthoceros proves that in these orders the male influence may exert
its effects upon any point.

As there is no styliform production in Anthoceros, so there is none in
ferns. If the ramenta be anthers, they will not be dubious ones, because
as they remain fixed, people cannot say, that possibly they are also
reproductive bodies, which by the bye is no objection at all, after
instances of anthers bearing _ovules_ instead of pollen!

Why the peculiar distribution of the male influence (on which we
determine our genera,) takes place, is another question, and one that
cannot be fairly asked?

Why it is confined to the under surface perhaps can, it being a law