﻿BOTANICAL GAZETTE 



Fig. 9 shows the upper polar nucleus beginning to move toward 

 the chalazal end of the embryo sac. The next stage is shown in 

 fig. 10, in which the antipodals are showing signs of disintegration. 

 The synergids have not assumed their mature form, but neverthe- 

 less may be distinguished from the egg by their position. Early 

 degeneration of the antipodals is usually marked in Richardia, 

 although in a few cases they persist, although somewhat degenerate 

 in appearance, up to the time of endosperm formation. In nearly 

 all my preparations showing the mature embryo sac, all that remains 

 of the antipodals is a dark mass of degenerating cells which are 

 hardly distinguishable from the nucellar cells, which at this period 

 often show signs of breaking down. It was not until younger 

 stages were procured that it could be clearly demonstrated that 

 the embryo sac had 8 nuclei, and not 5, as Campbell (4) has 

 described for certain species of Aglaonema. However, the stages 

 figured in figs. 8 and 10 prove conclusively that at one period the 

 embryo sac has 8 nuclei. 



The stage most commonly met with, and one which evidently 

 persists for some time, is the 5-nucleate one, shown in fig. n(fl, b, c). 

 Here the synergids are quite distinct from the egg, as the cytoplasm 

 of the egg is very much finer. The 2 polar nuclei are imbedded 

 in dense granular protoplasm at the base of the embryo sac, and 

 these nuclei are by far the most conspicuous nuclei in the embryo 

 sac, owing to their larger size and deeper staining capacity. The 

 degenerate antipodals are to be seen at the base of the embryo sac. 

 Figs. 110 and 116 show the halves of 2 of the 3 antipodals, while 

 fig. iic shows the third. 



The 2 polar nuclei fuse some time before fertilization. Fig. 12 

 shows this fusion taking place hi an embryo sac where the 2 nuclei 

 are somewhat smaller than is usually the case. 



The position of the polar nuclei at the base of the embryo sac 

 is a constant feature of Richardia, and in over 300 slides showing 

 the embryo sac in this stage, none shows the polar nuclei in any 

 position save that at the base of the embryo sac. Gow (7) in 

 fig. 39 of his paper depicts a mature embryo sac which is quite 

 unlike anything that I have come across in my preparations. At 

 the time of maturity the embryo sac has the appearance shown in 



