380 MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF HIGHER CRYPTOGAMIA. 



maturity, certain filaments (Fig. 116, A) whose granular contents 

 acquire an orange hue, and gradually shape themselves into oval 

 bodies (B), each with an orange-colored spot, and two long 



FIG. 116. 



Anlheridia and antherozoids of Fucus platycarpus : A, branching articulated hairs, detached from 

 the walls of the receptacle, bearing antheridia in different stages of development ; B, antherozoids, 

 some of them free, others still included in their antheridial cells. 



thread-like appendages, which, when discharged by the rupture 

 of the containing cell, have for a time a rapid undulatory motion, 

 whereby these antherozoids are diffused through the surrounding 

 liquid. Lying amidst the filamentous mass, near the walls of 

 the cavity, are seen (Fig. 115) numerous dark pear-shaped bodies, 

 which are the sporangia, or parent cells of the " germ-cells." 

 Each of these sporangia gives origin, by duplicative subdivision, 

 to a cluster of eight cells, which is thence known as an " octo- 

 spore;" and these are liberated from their envelopes, before the 

 act of fertilization takes place. This act consists in the swarm- 

 ing of the antherozoids over the surface of the germ-cells, to 

 which they communicate a rotatory motion by the vibration of 

 their own filaments ; it takes place within the receptacles in the 

 hermaphrodite Fuci, so that the spores do not make their exit 

 from the cavity until after they have been fecundated ; but in 

 the monoecious and dioecious species, each kind of receptacle 

 separately discharges its contents, which come into mutual con- 

 tact on their exterior. The antheridial cells are usually ejected 

 entire, but soon rupture, so as to give exit to their filaments ; the 

 sporangia of the female receptacles discharge their globular 

 octospores within the receptacle ; and these, soon after passing 

 forth, liberate their separate spores, which speedily meet with 

 antherozoids and are fecundated by them. The spores, when 

 fertilized, soon acquire a new and firmer envelope ; and under 

 favorable circumstances they speedily begin to develope them- 

 selves into new plants. The first change "that is seen in them, is 



