99° BOTANICAL GAZETTE [AUGUST 
as the later multipolar stages, which show clearly that the 
process of spindle formation in the second division is essentially 
the same as in the first. 
THE POLLEN MOTHER-CELLS OF HESPERALOE DAVYI. 
As in Iris and Disporum, the first indication of spindle 
formation in the pollen mother-cells in Hesperaloe is the dif- 
ferentiation of the cytoplasm in the immediate neighborhood of 
the nuclear wall into a distinct weft of fibrils. This weft is very 
small at first, but as it stains blue very readily when the triple 
stain is used, it can be clearly distinguished. ‘The fibrils run 
almost parallel with the nuclear membrane, even at the beginning 
of their formation, and they keep this position until the weft has 
reached a considerable thickness. In this respect it is almost 
identical with Gladiolus and Iris, but differs slightly from Dis- 
porum. Fig. 78 shows the weft fairly well developed. It 
encreases uniformly and completely surrounds the nuclear 
membrane. As in Iris and in Disporum, there is no sharp dif- 
ferentiation between the outer fibrils and the reticulum of the 
surrounding cytoplasm. It would seem that the cytoplasm loses 
its granular structure, becoming more distinctly threadlike, with 
meshes parallel to the nuclear wall, and stains blue instead of 
orange. 
Following the same series of events that occur in Gladiolus, 
Iris, and Disporum, the weft soon ceases its uniform growth and 
proceeds to grow out at irregular intervals in the form of pointed 
projections. The meshes of the weft in these outward growths 
are no longer parallel to the nuclear membrane, but are elongated 
in the direction of the projections. Fig. zg shows one of these 
projections. It also shows that the fibrils of the developing cone 
pass into the threads of the surrounding cytoplasmic reticulum, 
suggesting that they grow at the expense of the cytoplasm. As 
the cone pushes outward, the meshes elongate proportionately, 
and the fibriis composing them become much more sharply 
defined. Asin Irisand Disporum, there appears to be no definite 
number of cones formed; there are usually four or five to be 
seen in section. 
