14 Transactions of the Society. 



6. Monstera deliciosa Liebm. (PL I, figs. 39 A, B). 



In the aerial roots of Monstera deliciosa certain cells remain 

 ibinucleate for a very long time. In a root fixed on October 25, 

 1915, many binucleate cells were seen in the inner region of the 

 <cortex at a distance of 1 to 2 mm. from the apex. At a little 

 further from the apex occasional cells with 3, or even'4, nuclei were 

 observed. Phragmospheres (PL I, fig. 39 A) were first noticed at 

 about 4 mm. from the apex. In order to see how far back the 

 binucleate cells extended, another root was fixed in May 1916, and 

 it was found in this case that, even at a distance of 38 cna. from 

 the apex, many of the cells of the inner part of the cortex were 

 binucleate. Unfortunately the still older part of this root had not 

 heen preserved. Later in the season (in August) an old woody root 

 was obtained ; this was incomplete at the apex, but the part that 

 remained was 58 cm. long. It was found that even at the base of 

 this root, at a point which was thus probably considerably more 

 than 58 cm. from the apex, occasional binucleate cells still occurred. 

 At this stage the cortex had become interspersed with thick- walled 

 ■fibres, and most of the nuclei had disappeared. The nuclei of the 

 surviving binucleate cells had become angular and irregular in 

 form. 



In the conjunctive tissue of the young stele the cells are uninu- 

 cleate, but the nuclei show a tendency to be deeply bilobed (PL I, 

 fig. 39 B). This lobing occurs very near the tip of the root ; it has 

 been seen at a distance of 4 to 5 mm. from the apex in an apparently 

 well-preserved root, and we do not think it can be dismissed as an 

 indication either of senility or of imperfect fixation. It closely 

 recalls the lobing of the nuclei in the stelar parenchyma of Stratiotes 

 aloides* roots (see pp. 19-21). 



7. Hemerocallis fidva, L. (PL I, figs. 33-37), Nothoscordum 

 fragrans Kunth, and Alisma Plantago L. (PL I, fig. 38). 



In 1880 Strasburgerf stated that he had searched unsuccessfully 

 for nuclear " Fragmentation " in plants belonging to seven Mono- 

 cotyledonous genera which he names. He enters into no further 

 details, but it seems probable that if in his search for amitosis he 

 had met with binucleate cells, he would have mentioned the fact. 

 It was therefore decided to investigate some of the cases to which 

 be refers, in order to see whether they were really exceptional in 

 this respect. Three of his seven cases were chosen at random, 

 Hemerocallis fxilva^ Nothoscordum fragrans and Alisma Plantago, 

 and it was found that all three showed binucleate cells differing in 



* Arbor, A. (1914). f Strasburger, E. (1880). 



