258 



„the fibres of the antipodal cône. In this process tlie daugh- 

 „ter cell is eut ont of the interior of the protoplasm of the 

 „mother cell, so that it remains surrounded on ail sides 

 „by the material of the mother cell. 



„The daughter cells do not contain ail the protoplasm 

 „of the mother cell, a considérable mass remaining as the 

 „so-called epiplasma. This is typical free cell-formation, as 

 „I hâve pointed out before. In ail the sporangia studied, the 

 „cleavage is from the surface of the protoplasm, or from 

 „the surface of vacuoles of the mother cell. The daughter 

 „ cells are thus separated by cleavage-furrows, and the 

 „nature of the division from the surface inwards, precludes 

 „the possibility of the formation of an epiplasm." (1. c. S. 516). 



„If we consider now the bearing of the observations 

 „presented on the doctrine that the Ascusis amore highly 

 „developed and specialized modification of the sporangium 

 „of the Zygomycetes, it is plain that the very différent 

 „methods of cleavage in the cases are opposed to the as- 

 „sumption of any close relationship between them. In 

 „fact, it seems rather difficult to imagine any intermediate 

 „stages vvhich could connect the process of cleavage by 

 „surface-furrows, as seen in the sporangium, with the 

 „free cell-formation of the ascus. It must be noted too, 

 „that Popta's work on AscokJea and Profomyces which 

 „Brefeld considers intermediate forms between the lower 

 „Fungi and the Ascomycetes, has failed in any v^ay to 

 „bridge that gap. 



„The présence of epiplasm has always been considered 

 „one of the most distinctive features of the ascus, and 

 „those, who hâve contended for the relationship of the 

 „sporangium and ascus hâve been much concerned to dis- 

 „cover a similiarity between the epiplasm and the interspo- 

 „ral slime in the sporangium. It is, however, sufi6ciently 

 „ apparent that thèse two substances are entirely distinct 

 „in their origin and consistency." (1. c. S. 619). 



