
380 F BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
wither within 24 hours after opening. Those brought in and 
pollinated had all done so. These withered flowers show the male 
nucleus within the egg. 
Fig. 16 shows an early prophase in the division of the egg. The 
spirem develops in the usual way, and is very long. Fig. 17 shows 
the segmentation completed, with a very pale nucleolus and — 
approximately 24 chromosomes. The male nucleus is at some ~ 
distance from the egg nucleus and shows no change. Fig. 19 shows 
a similar stage. In Fig. 20 the nuclear membrane has disappeared. 
About this stage the male nucleus begins to disintegrate (fig. 18); 
but sometimes the spindle is forming with the b of the male 
nucleus apparently still intact (fig. 21). A spindle is shown in fig. 
22, and here the male nucleus is disorganizing. A late anaphase 
of the egg has the male nucleus entirely without a membrane (fig. 
23). The chromatic material is organized into approximately 12 
masses, which seem to be more or less perfectly formed chromo- 
somes, although there are evident signs of disintegration. ‘There is 
nothing in the egg or in this nucleus itself to suggest the possibility 
of its being a cell of the embryo. This suggests the possibility of 
*‘merogonie.”’ 
A somewhat earlier anaphase shows approximately 24 chromo- 
somes at each end of the spindle, and the somewhat elongated male 
nucleus apparently in contact with the spindle (fig. 24). This sac 
has four endosperm nuclei, two near the base of the sac and two 
near the middle. Fig. 25 is that of an undivided egg. The pollen 
tube has the three nuclei in it. There are about 64 endosperm 
nuclei in the sac and but little trace of the synergids in the adjacent 
sections. Other sacs in this ovary have embryos with about 16 
cells. It is probably a case of a delayed pollen tube and the 
primary endosperm nucleus dividing before fusion with the male 
nucleus, although this is the only instance seen where that seems 
probable. But as has been said above, most of the material of this 
stage was pollinated in order to be sure of fertilization. It 1s also 
possible for this to be the second pollen tube to enter this sac. But 
if so, all trace of the other one has disappeared. : 
The endosperm nuclei often contain 7 or 8 nucleoli, all of which 
stain a brilliant red in the safranin—gentian-violet combination. 

