402 



STRUCTURE AND LIFE HISTORIES 



chance, in the pollen-chamber of the ovules on neigh- 

 boring female plants. The transfer of pollen to the female 

 plant is pollination. 



359. Germination of the Pollen-grain. In the pollen- 

 chamber the conditions favor the germination of the 



FIG. 299. Cycas revolnla. a, Pollen grains at shedding stage; X 500; 

 b, later stage, showing prothallial cell (/>) and generative cell (g), the tube- 

 nucleus not shown; X 200; c, generative cell divided, giving rise to stalk- 

 and body-cells; X 500; d, the stalk-cell-nucleus (s) being crowded out, 

 and blepharoplasts appearing in the body cell (6); X 500; e, the body-cell 

 shortly before division, showing two well-developed blepharoplasts; X 750; 

 /, the two male cells resulting from the division of the body-cell; the beaks 

 of the nuclei are attached to the cilia-bearing bands ;X 200. Reduced 

 about two-thirds in reproduction. (After Ikeno.) 



pollen. This is also a new feature in life history. In ger- 

 mination the pollen-grain develops absorbing organs 

 (haustoria) , which penetrate the tissue of the nucellar-cap 

 (Fig. 300) , and also larger tubes which carry the generative 

 cell further down into the pollen-chamber. As the tube 



