465 
monosporangium, a new sporangium can be developed from the cell beneath it 
(fig. 562 D, E). The ripe nemathecia are yellowish. 
Germination of the monospores. CHEMIN (1930, p.350) has observed the 
first stages of the germination of the spores and stated the interesting fact that the 
attachment disc does not arise directly by cell-divisions of the spore, but that the 
germinating spore first gives off a short germ tube which by segmentation forms 
a small orbicular disc. This (may be contiguous to the spore cell or connected 
©. 
Fig. 561. Ge 
Ahnfeltia plicata. From a nemathecium from Frederikshayn, Fig. 562. 
Henn. Petersen, May (Alcohol, Heidenhain). End-cells of nema- Ahnfeltia plicata. A—F from the same material as in 
thecial filaments showing very distinct chromatophores partly fig. 561. Ripe monospores are present in C. The nar- 
paired, and nucleus. In A‘ the nucleus is apparently in the row, clavate intensely stained cells in E are perhaps 
first dividing stage, in A*, the nucleus has lately divided and end-cells of obliterate primary nemathecial fila- 
the two daughter nuclei show each four chromosomes but ments. G, living spore set free in May. A—D 670 : 1. 
are still without nuclear membrane. 1800 : 1. E—F 1080:1. G 670:1. 
with it by one or two cylindrical cells. This mode of germination agrees with that 
found in Gloiosiphonia capillaris (comp. the present work, part II, p. 277; comp. also 
Dudresnaya (Kıruıan, Entw. Florid. 1914, p. 238). According to CHEMIN the proto- 
plasm of the ripe spore is colourless and does not contain any trace of chromato- 
phores or phycoérythrine. It was only in the two weeks old discs that “des chro- 
matophores pariétaux s’organisent dans les cellules les plus âgées et chaque 
germination apparaît sous forme d’une petite tache rose”. I did not find the spores just 
set free from the nemathecium colourless, but containing a yellow-brown chro- 
matophore and numerous refractive bodies (starch). It is probable that the single 
chromatophore has arisen by repeated fusions of the originally multiple chromato- 
phores, as described above. In the cultures established in May 1927 the first stages 
