104 



GERMINATION OF THE MEGASPORE 



structures. The important pari of the sporophyll is the spore. 

 A spore is a cell that is capable of germinating or growing under 

 favorable conditions ami thus producing some kind <>i a new 

 organism, or we ma) saj a new plant. You arc always to think 

 of a spore as having this power. In case of the spores under 



consideration very rudimentary plants are produced that con- 

 sisl of only a few cells. These minute plants are very important. 



A 



V 



Fig. 76. 



Fig. 77- 



Fig. 7<>. Section of the ovule of the Canada lily (greatly magnified): 

 mi, micropyle; /. integuments; n, nucellus, lure consisting of ;i single 



layer of cells, but it often forms a lar.^e inus> of cells; mg, megaspore 

 with lar^'e nucleus in center. This spore is about to divide; /. -talk or 

 funiculus whidl attaches the ovule to the wall of the ovary. 



Fig 77. Germination of the megaspore: ./. first division of the nucleus 

 of the megaspore. />'. second stage in the germination, four nuclei being 



formed. C, final Stage in the division of the nuclei. 



however, because they contain the male and female cells, 01 



garnet ailed because they unite, thus forming a new - 



the gametOSpore, quite different from the micro- and mega- 



spores. So lei us not lose Bighl of the fact that these apparently 

 insignificant micro- and mega spores germinate and produce 



minute plants that arc quite distinct from the plants that bore 



them. We will fust follow the germination of tin- megaspore 



