158 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [FEBRUARY 
cysts, however, are in such a condition that it seems hardly possible 
to interpret them as sister products of mitosis. Their chromatin 
assumes the condition of an extremely long and complicated spirem, 
which winds not only around the surface of the nucleus but fills 
its cavity (figs. 67, 68). Their shape is extremely irregular. 
The largest have developed pseudopodium-like outgrowths, which 
appear to have been constricting off into daughter nuclei. With 
these large nuclei are a number of small ones, apparently the 
results of the process. While the mere irregularity in the outlines 
of these nuclei would not in itself be conclusive evidence that they 
were dividing amitotically, the great diversity in the sizes of 
adjacent nuclei would be difficult to account for on any other 
hypothesis. For in Rhedochytrium, as in coenocytes generally, the 
mitoses are simultaneous, and the daughter nuclei are of approxi- 
mately equal sizes (figs. 22-27). It is evident that such a process 
could not normally give rise to irregularities in either number or 
size of the resultant nuclei. 
There is no indication, however, that amitosis is a normal 
process in the zoosporangia of Rhodochytrium as in Synchyirium. 
It gives rather every indication of being a pathological phenomenon. 
Cytological comparisons 
PRIMARY NUCLEUS.—The primary nuclei of Rhodochytrium are 
certainly very peculiar; indeed, if the cytology of Synchytrium 
were not known, we should say they were unique. But when 
mature they are strikingly similar to those of Synchytrium, or at 
least to those of S. decipiens and S. puerariae. The conditions 
sometimes found during the early portion of the growth period, 
however, are not paralleled in Synchytrium. The early stages of 
Synchytrium are very similar to the mature nuclei, but in the young 
nuclei of Rhodochytrium the chromatin spherules are often sus- 
pended on anastomosing strands of linin within the nuclear cavity 
(figs. 3, 14, 44). This condition is evidently less removed from 
the typical peripheral chromatin-linin reticulum of most nuclei 
than are the mature nuclei or those of Synchytrium. 
The irregular masses of chromatin in the primary nucleus of 
Synchytrium are termed by Kusano (18) secondary nucleoli. He 
