302 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ocTOBER 
PROFESSOR BELAJEFF has recently published two preliminary papers 
announcing important discoveries in the spermatogenesis of Filicinex** and 
Equisetineze*’. This author has previously given considerable attention to the 
process of spermatogenesis in various groups of plants, and his critical work 
on the spermatogenesis of the Characez led largely to the establishment of 
the view that the body of the spermatozoid is formed not only of the nucleus 
but also of the cytoplasm of the cell. His recent studies on the Filicineze and 
Equisetineze, he announces, have given him many opportunities to observe 
the correctness of this view. The main object of the present preliminary 
papers is to call attention to the office of an organ discovered in the spermatic 
cells, which ultimately forms a spiral band from which the cilia of the sper- 
matozoid are developed. 
In the spermatic cells of ferns, fixed with vapor of osmic acid and stained 
with a mixture of iodine green and fuchsin, small round bodies were found 
which stained very intensely. They are located in the cytoplasm near the 
nuclear wall, which is frequently somewhat indented at this point. These 
spheres reminded the author of centrosomes, and a careful examination was 
thus made of the dividing cells of the spermatic tissue. However, no indica- 
tion of a centrosome could be detected. The first change which takes place 
in the spermatic cell is the gradual extension of this sphere, which becomes 
crescent shaped, and finally develops into a thread which encircles the 
nucleus. By a very careful examination the author was able to determine 
that this thread, which stains very intensely, runs along the edge of a lighter 
stained band which represents the first foundation of the body of the sperma- 
tozoid. It lies in the cytoplasm and stains bright red. In its further exten- 
sion this band assumes the form of a spiral (apparently helicoid, judging from 
the author's description), of which the extended turns of the rear end encircle 
the nucleus, while the much smaller turns of the front end or apex of the 
spiral terminate free in the cytoplasm of the cell. The cilia, which are at vie 
short but gradually increase in length, arise from the front end of this spiral 
and are directed backward. While the band is developing, the nucleus of 
the spermatic cell also undergoes considerable change. It begins to stretch 
out along the spiral band, becoming first reniform, then crescent shaped, and 
finally assumes a spiral form, the rear end of which is much the thickest. 
mature spermatozoid the hinder part consists of a spiral shaped, See 
nucleus, which is surrounded by a layer of cytoplasm. On the rear end a 
continuation of the layer of cytoplasm forms an appendage. The front end 
of the spermatozoid has a band-like form, reacts the same as cytoplasm, and 
appears to be a continuation of the surrounding layer of cytoplasm. A thin 
** Ueber den Nebenkern in spe tog Fell i die Sp bei den 
Farnkrautern. Ber. d. deutsch. bot. Ges. 15 : 337-339- 1897- 
3 Usher dies A Rare eee 
& 
15 > 339-342- 1897- 
Ber. d. deutsch. bot. Ges- 
