CYTOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION IN ANGIOSPERMS 



147 



Conclusions. — The foregoing account of the normal angiosperm 

 reproductive cycle, and of various modifications of it which may occur 

 regularly or occasionally in some species, should serve to emphasize 

 the importance of a thorough knowledge of the subject to one who wishes 

 to undertake genetical or cytogenetical researches on this great group of 

 plants. 



The typical angiosperm life cycle bears a certain resemblance to that 

 of animals, since each of them includes a diploid body and monoploid 

 gametes. In some studies it may be sufficient to think of them as alike, 

 but to interpret properly certain genetical behavior of the plant one must 

 know that it has a second type of reproductive cell, the spore, and a 

 gametophytic phase, neither of which is present in the animal cycle. 



