53 



Development of the cystocarp : Carpogonial branches and 

 auxiliary cell-branches are usually formed separately in number as 

 lateral branches of infra-cortical cells. Carpogonial branch is rarely 

 sessile; it generally consists of mostly five or six discoidal cells, 

 usually provided with one or two sterile pedicel-like cells. Of them, 

 two hypogenal cells beneath the carpogonium, which carries very 

 long aud more or less strongly twisted trichogyne, are smaller, while 

 two or three cells next to them are larger and richly supplied with 

 cell-contents. Those two larger cells fuse with the carpogonium after 

 fertilization. The Carpogonial branch is strongly curved so as to bring 

 the cai pogonium against the auxiliary cells in the same branch. In a 

 few cases, I have seen an auxiliary cell-branch formed from the lowest 

 cell of a carpogonial branch (PL. LXV, Fig. 2). Auxiliary cell-branches 

 very rarely consist of a few cells, more usually of many cells and they 

 are more or less curved, issuing branches in several directions. 



When fertilization takes place the carpogonium usually fuses with 

 the fourth and fifth cells beneath it by producing a short ooblastema- 

 process from the inner side of it. Even there is one more cell, i.e. the 

 sixth from the carpogonium, which is very slightly smaller than 

 other two cells but equally filled with contents, I have not seen it to 

 fuse together with others. From the carpogonium after fusion, two or 

 probably more ooblastema filaments are emitted, sometimes as a 

 simple tube-like protuberance, but usually they are separated from 

 the carpogonium by forming a septum and pit formation. They are 

 mostly simple and non-septate, but sometimes branched. They come 

 in contact with some cells of an auxiliary cell-branch, either by fusion 

 or by forming pits. At the time when the cells of auxiliary cell- 

 branch are acted upon by ooblastema filaments the cortical portion of 

 the frond in that portion is slightly elevated, indicating the beginning 

 of pericarp. The fertilized auxiliary cells, either after fusion or 



