ties in the receptacle. From the base of each cavity there arises a thick, club-shaped body, the antheridium. Within the antheridium are formed many sperm-cells which are capable of swimming about in water by means of long lashes or cilia attached to them. When the antheridium is mature, it bursts and allows the ciliated sperm cells to escape.
The archegoniophores are also elevated on stalks (Fig. 289). Instead of a simple disk, the receptacle consists of nine or more finger-like rays. Along the under side of the rays, between delicately fringed curtains, peculiar flask-like bodies, or archegonia, are situated. The archegonia are not visible to the naked eye. They can be studied only with the microscope (× about 400). One of them much magnified is represented in Fig. 292. Its principal parts are the long neck, a, and the rounded venter, b, inclosing a large free cell—the egg-cell.
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Fig. 292.—Archegonium of Marchantia.
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Fig. 293.—Archegoniophore, with Sporogonia, of Marchantia.
We have seen that the antheridium at maturity discharges its
sperm-cells. These swim about in the water provided by the dew
and rain. Some of them finally find their way
to the archegonia and egg-cells, the latter
being fertilized, as pollen fertilizes the ovules
of higher plants.
After fertilization the egg-cell develops into the spore capsule or sporogonium. The mature spore capsules may be seen in Fig. 293. They consist of an oval spore-case on a short stalk, the base of which is imbedded in the tissue of the receptacle, from which it derives the necessary nourishment for the development of the sporogonium. At maturity the sporogonium is ruptured at the apex, setting free the spherical spores together with numerous filaments having spirally thickened walls (Fig. 294). These filaments are called elaters. When drying, they exhibit rapid movements by means of which the spores are scattered. The spores germinate and again produce the thallus of marchantia.
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Fig. 294.—Spores and Elaters of Marchantia.
