1896 | : CYSTOCARP OF GRIFFITHSIA 41 
default of fertilization the disappearance of the trichogyne has 
been followed by vegetative growth in the carpogenic branch 
and by the production of extra vegetative cells elsewhere. 
Here, too, there seem to be four peripheral cells, though the 
relations of the two cells lying below the central cell were not 
positively determined. 
The process of fertilization and its immediate effects were 
not observed, lack of suitable material making a nuclear study 
impossible. In fig. z2 a pollinoid is shown in contact with a 
trichogyne, which is enlarged at the point of attachment, but how 
far fusion takes place was not ascertained. 
After fertilization, the trichogyne gradually withers and soon 
disappears, the basal portion remaining for a time attached to 
the carpogonium. The latter loses its contents, assumes an 
irregular form, and becomes disorganized. The adjacent cell at 
the same time apparently increases in size, but it also soon loses 
its contents, and in some cases appears to become disorganized, 
while the two lower cells take a deeper stain than before. 
Whether the intervening walls are absorbed or a transfer of pro- 
toplasm takes place through the enlarged pit connections was 
not determined, but it is evident that with the disorganization of 
the upper portion of the carpogenic branch, the supporting cell 
and the central cell grow rich in contents, the latter especially 
at this time taking a very deep stain with fuchsin. The carpo- 
gonium does not persist long after fertilization, either individually 
or as a part of a large fusion cell. 
Schmitz (1. c.) includes Griffithsia among the genera in which 
conjugation probably takes place between the carpogonium and 
the supporting cell, which thus becomes the auxiliary cell. He 
does not state, however, that he has observed the process in any 
species of the genus. The two cells do not always lie sufficiently 
near together at the time of fertilization to allow direct conjuga- 
tion, and no evidence was seen either of change of position or of 
the growth of ooblastema threads. 
In no case was any indication of spore production seen until 
after a gradual loss of contents in the upper cells of the car- 
