MONOBLEPHA RI DALES 



143 



According to Laibach's account the sporangium and antherid- 

 ium are both multinucleate in the beginning, and differ only in 

 the number and size of the ciliate cells which are formed, the 

 spermatozoids being fewer and smaller. 



After the male nucleus enters the oosphere the sex nuclei may- 

 rest side by side for a considerable period before fusion takes 



Fig. 53. — (.a-c) Monoblepharis sphaerica Cornu. (d-f) M. polymorpha Cornu 

 ig-h) M. brachyandra Lag. {a,b) Antheridium below oogonium, (c) Mature 

 oospore, (d-f) Oogonia and antheridia. (g) Swarmsporangium and biciliate 

 swarmspores. {h) Mature oospores, (a, b, c, e, after Cornu; others after Thaxter 

 1903.) 



place. Reduction of chromosomes apparently occurs in the first 

 division of the fusion nucleus. Several subsequent mitoses 

 occur, and when the germ tube is put out by the oospore as many 

 as sixteen nuclei may be present. 



The mycelium is wholly non-septate up to the time of the 

 formation of reproductive cells. Laibach finds that sporangia 



