Structure, etc., of Epiphegus Virginzana. 387 
are rather smaller and paler than any of the other nuclei in 
the embryo sac or macrospore cavity. 
In the next older stage, the ovule is seen increased much 
in length, but little wider. Starch is appearing in the walls 
of the outer seed-coat. At the micropylar end, a long, nar- 
row neck is left between the seed-coats. Below this lie the 
remains of the old embryo sac, still showing the two syner- 
gidze above the egg nucleus. A break occurs just below, 
and then is seen a vertical row of six to eight cells, larger 
below, smallest next the egg. This is the precocious albu- 
men or endosperm, formed by division of the endosperm 
nucleus prior to fertilization. These cells are densely pro- 
toplasmic, and show a fairly large nucleus and nucleolus. 
They are separated from the cells of the seed-coats by a 
thick stained membrane. 
In ovules observed at about the stage of fertilization, a 
great increase has taken place in the amount of endosperm 
cells. Three or four long rows of cells are present, formed 
by divisions which have been observed occurring in both 
directions. The spindles formed are remarkably broad and 
barrel-shaped in form. These endosperm cells have grown 
up around and above the egg cell, and form a structure 
resembling an archigonial neck below the micropyle, having 
pushed apart the seed-coats. Down this neck the pollen 
tube is seen passing to the egg cell. It is faintly stained 
and almost transparent, containing little cytoplasm. The 
process of fertilization was not observed. After the egg 
has been fertilized, there is always observed a second degen- 
erating nucleus lying in the pollen tube just above the egg 
cell. This is probably the second sperm nucleus that in 
many plants has been found to unite with the endosperm 
nucleus. But here, the endosperm nucleus has already 
divided and formed the precocious albumen, so this sperm 
nucleus would necessarily be non-functional. 
The first cleavage wall divides the egg in horizontal direc- 
tion. The upper cell is smaller, both in the size of the 
