COXIFERALES 



87 



nucleus, and had passed through the same peculiar developmental 

 changes. To all appearances it was ready for fertilization. The 

 same observer also discovered cases of large ventral canal cells 

 and nuclei in which the cell plates separating them from the egg 

 had disorganized, giving the appearance of two similar nuclei 

 imbedded in the cytoplasm of the egg (Fig. 65, E). It is very 

 probable that this may explain such cases of equal nuclei as 

 those recorded by Stras- 

 burger, 22 Coulter 36 (Fig. 

 66), and others, which 

 were thought to be the 

 male and female nuclei 

 approaching for fusion. 

 In any event, it seems 

 clear that the ventral 

 canal cell represents an 

 abortive egg, which is oc- 

 casionally organized as an 

 egg, and which may rare- 

 ly function as one. 



In a recent paper by 

 Arnoldi 43 upon Cephalo- 

 taxus Fort une i a curious 

 procedure -in reference to 

 the ventral canal cell is 

 recorded. The nucleus of 

 the central cell divides as 

 usual, and a ventral canal 

 cell nucleus is formed, 

 but no regular cell is or- 

 ganized. Instead of this, 

 the upper part of the cy- 

 toplasmic mass, contain- 

 ing the ventral canal cell 

 nucleus, is said to become mucilaginous, breaks down the neck 

 cells (two in number), and is separated from the egg by a pinch- 

 ing-off process. Although there is no real cell formation in 

 the morphological sense, physiologically the result is the same as 

 in other cases, a nucleus and some cytoplasm being separated 

 from the forming egg. 

 7 



FIG. 66. Pinus Laricio^ conjugation of two nuclei 

 described as male (m) and female (/), but 

 which may prove to be the nuclei of the ven- 

 tral canal cell and the egg (as in Fig. 65, E) ; 

 x 500. After COULTER. 



