178 I'lIJ^^ BOTANICAL MAdA/JNE. [Vol. xxxiii. No. 363. 



Reinkf:" reports a remarkable difference in the future 

 development of the sporelings between those germinated from 

 the aggregated spores and those from the solitar}' ones. In 

 the former instance, two simple filaments come into contact, 

 clinching, as it were, to each other at the crooked point of the 

 filaments just above the initial cells. The two filaments wind 

 up over each other while the cells multiph- at the same time. 

 At last there results an agglomeration of cells, some of Avhieh 

 develop to form the ca^spitose fronds. The sporelings from the 

 solitary spores develop into simple filaments composed of 

 tubular' cells, about two or three times as long as broad. The 

 contents of some cells of a filament contract to form a 

 " secondary' spore " in each. He observed the " secondary 

 spores " germinate and develop into short filaments composed 

 of three cells. Reinke observed this sort of thing about six 

 weeks after the swarmspores took their rest. 



In my experiment, I found semething which agrees with 

 Reinke's observation, as well as several points of difference. 

 Before criticising his report, I shall go on to describe the further 

 stages of development of the sporelings in my culture. 



In the latter part of the third Aveek, there swells up a 

 short, hyaline, wart-like process on the surface of the initial 

 cell. It generally points in the opposite direction to the tubular 

 cells, but frequently is found growing close by the septal 

 membrane. As an exceptional case, I met with a process issuing 

 from the first tubular cell which was much thicker ;ind shorter 

 than in the normal sporelings. The shoi"t process soon grows 

 longer and a septum is formed at the level of the surface of the 

 initial cell. In the cell thus formed, there is one nucleus in the 

 middle surrounded by colourless plasm and vacuoles. The cell 

 elongates further and divides into two, three, and so on, to 

 form a hyaline hair which measures 1 50—400 n in length and 

 2-4 /'. in diameter (Fig. 8). Thuret has observed sporelings 

 similar to this in the germination of zoospores of Stilophora 

 rhizoides J. Ag."^ and in that of Asperococcus buUosus Lamx.^^ 



1) Keinke: 1. c, Fig. 6 and 9. 



2) 'J'huret: Kecherclies sur les Zoo.spores des Alftiies. p. 29, PI. 28. fig. 1-9. 

 .*]) Bornet: et Thuret: Etudes Phycologiqiies. PI. VI, fig. 4-5. 



