214 Dr. W. Priugsheim on the Germination 



fig. 5). Chemically speaking, the contents of the spore appear 

 to be more changed in the relative proportions of quantity of the 

 particular constituents, than in their quality, before germination. 

 The principal constituent consists of large drops of oil, becoming 

 confluent under pressure, with amorphous chlorophyll and albu- 

 men, as in the newly foi'med spore. The large starch-granules 

 have disappeai-ed and are replaced by very small irregular cor- 

 ])uscles devoid of any distinguishable structure, but which be- 

 come blue when iodine is applied, and, therefore, are likewise 

 starch. Lastly, as an entirely new constituent of the spore, ap- 

 pear certain reddish-brown corpuscles, nevei- absent, which are 

 also found in the young plant after the germination (PI. VIII. 

 tig. li,fig.5,fig.2rf). 



The differences between the membranes of old and young spores 

 are more important than the changes perceptible in the contents. 



Instead of the one colourless cellulose membrane of the young 

 spore, this latter exhibits, shortly before germination, three di- 

 stinct membranes, not blended together. The inmost encloses 

 the entire contents, which are already surrounded by the pri- 

 mordial utricle ; the outermost [e, fig. 1 a, b, and fig. 5), thin and 

 colourless, is composed of pure cellulose, as may readily be de- 

 monstrated by iodine and sulphuric acid ; it is the same mem- 

 brane which the spore possessed at the time of its formation, 

 only it has become thicker, without, however, perceptible lamel- 

 lation. Within this lies, without touching it at all points, but 

 closely applied to it, the second coat, a membrane of yellowish- 

 bi'own colour (/, fig. 1 a, b, and fig. 5), which retains its colouring 

 matter with great obstinacy, and is not coloured blue by sulphuric 

 acid and iodine. This, finally, encloses the third, inmost and 

 last-formed membrane, which is colourless like the first, and is 

 also coloured blue with iodine and sulphuric acid. This third 

 membrane is not always visible in the unopened spore, and hence, 

 perhaps, has remained unnoticed by prenous observers ; perhaps, 

 however, from its only appearing shortly before the germination, 

 as the last deposit of membrane within the spore. It consti- 

 tutes, really, with the contents it encloses, the essential part of 

 the spore-cell, since in the germination of the spore it grows out 

 directly into the young plant, after the dehiscence and casting 

 off of both the outer membranes. Its existence may always be 

 ascertained by bursting oldish spores by slight pressure, and 

 allowing their contents to escape gradually. If the spore thus 

 burst by pressure is afterwards treated with iodine and sulphuric 

 acid, the third inmost membrane assumes a blue colour, and in 

 this way only can it be certainly made out that the blue colour 

 belongs really to it, and does not depend on the outer coat of 

 the spore or the membranes of the cell in which the spore per- 



