146 RIKER: CHONDRIOMES IN CHARA 
somes, and do not seem to be unorganized portions of the spireme, 
they must be chromatin material not included in the spireme. 
The nucleolus is the most likely container of such material. In 
the resting stage the refractivespots or granules which may be 
seen in the nucleolus seem a probable source, because they re- 
semble the prochondriomes in shape and staining reactions. It is 
possible that, if the nucleolus contains most of the chromatin 
which goes to make up the chromosomes, it could contain also 
the amount necessary to make the prochondriomes. Probably 
some of the granules of the resting nucleolus fail to pass into the 
spireme, when it is formed from some of the nucleolar material, and 
are then caught in the tangle of chromosome movement and carried 
on to the median plate. There they are left because of some 
difference between them and the granules of the chromosomes. 
SUMMARY 
1. Chromatic granules (prochondriomes) appear on the central 
plate in the anaphase of Chara; these do not disintegrate but 
migrate into the cytoplasm and become chondriomes. 
2. These prochondriomes have their origin in the nucleolus. 
3. Chondriomes are derived by fission from other chondriomes, 
but they are also produced as nuclear extrusions. 
4. No difference in the prochondriome contents has been 
observed in the actively growing tip between the purely vegetative 
cells and those which may produce gametes. 
5. The extrusion of these prochondriomes is apparently not 
connected with nuclear degeneration or differentiation of the 
germ and vegetative cells. 
In conclusion the author wishes to acknowledge his obligation 
to Dr. Harris M. Benedict, of the University of Cincinnati, for 
his kind supervision during the investigation, to Professor F. O. 
Grover, of Oberlin College, for helpful suggestions, and also to 
other friends for the encouragement of their interest. 
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI 
LITERATURE CITED 
1. Andrews, F.M. Karyokinesis in Magnolia and Liriodendron with 
special reference to the behavior of the chromosomes. Beih. 
Bot. Centralbl. 11: 132-142. 7 pl. 1001. 
