106 



nature ^) and subsequent desorganisation of an undoubted eggap- 

 paratus gives further support to this view. 



I therefore suppose that , untill knowledge to the contrary 

 be forthcoming we have in the angiospermic embryosac two 

 eggapparatusses the one of which (the antipodae) is rudimen- 

 tary and but two prothallial nuclei ^). 



If we compare this with the facts found in Gnetum Gnemon 

 all nuclei of the upper part of the embryosac, which can not 

 be fertilised i. o. w. those which after fertilisation form the 

 „endospermic" cells are the homologon of the micropylar polar 

 nucleus, the large firm steril prothallium in the lower part is 

 the homologon of the chalazal polar nucleus. 



The nuclei in the upper part of the embryosac which can 

 be fertilised are the homologous of the eggapparatus , the 

 reduced-archegonia on the lower prothallial part are the homo- 

 logon of the antipodes. 



All changes after fertilisation serving to supply the embryo's 

 with the necessary food are secondary, tliis necessity causes 

 the Angiosperms to divide repeatedly their onl}^ prothallial 

 nucleus remaining viz. the „endospermnucleus" it causes Gne- 

 tum to increase the bulk of the lower part of its prothallium. 



RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSIONS OF THEORETICAL PART. 



Angiosperms. Morphological nature. GuetUm Gnemon. 



Eggapparatus = archegonia =: fertil nuclei 



Microp. Polar nucleus i= prothallium = steril nuclei of upper part 



Chalazal Polar nucleus rzz prothallium zir prothallium in lower part 



Antipodes z= rudimentary archegonia = rudimentary archegonia on 



lower part 

 Endosperm = prothallium ^growing prothallium of 



lower half 



1) A comparison between the eggapparatus of Balanophora and that of the 

 Balanophoreae, Rhopalocnemis shows the former from the beginning to be very 

 reduced compared with that of the latter. The eggapparatus of Balonophora res- 

 sembles more or less antipodal cells, 



2) If as Strasbubger assumes the antipodal cells were rudiments of a prothal- 

 lium we would expect them to develop in a case of apogamy like that described 

 by Treub. They are on the contrary very rudimentary; antipodal cells not even 

 being formed. 



