156 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [AUGUST 
that had been contributed by the respective nuclei; but the writer, 
because of the numerous specimens showing the distinct spirems, 
the three groups of segments, and the groups on the tripolar 
spindle, is unable to accept these conclusions for the primary 
endosperm nucleus of Trillium grandiflorum and Lilium Martagon. 
What has been said for the chromatin of the primary endosperm 
nucleus of Lilium Martagon applies for the most part to that of the 
fertilized egg of Trillium grandiflorum and the early stages of Lilium 
Martagon and L. philadelphicum. 
After a careful investigation of L. Martagon and L. candidum, 
MortIer (13) reported in 1898 that there is a complete fusion of 
the male nucleus and the egg nucleus in the resting condition, the 
chromatin being in a fine network. If the subsequent steps are 
not followed out, such an interpretation could be made for Trillium. 
Figs. 1 and 2 show fertilized eggs in which the sperm is lying coiled 
‘upon the egg, the male chromatin material being in coarser strands 
thanin the egg. In some instances the nuclear membranes separat- 
ing the nuclei break down early (fig. 3), while in others they persist 
for some time (fig. 4). It was the appearance of such stages as 
fig. 3, and some that will be spoken of later, that caused previous 
investigators (MotrierR, NAWASCHIN, SAX, STRASBURGER, and 
others) to conclude that there was a fusion to the extent that the 
individual components were not recognized. 
From sections showing the spirems (figs. 6-11) it appears at 
first sight that the interpretations of figs. 9 and 10 would be differ- 
ent from those of figs. 6 and 7; for in figs. 9 and 10 two spirems stand 
out distinctly, while in the other two there appears to be only one. 
If the reader will consider all the various angles from which the 
fertilized egg might be cut and all the various positions the two 
spirems might occupy within the cavity, it will be apparent that 
frequently the sections might be so cut that the dual nature of the 
spirems would not be seen. The significance of the contraction, 
similar to the second contraction of the heterotypic mitosis that 
occurs just previous to or during segmentation (figs. 11, 12), the 
writer is unable to interpret. There was no tripolar spindle ob- 
served in the fertilized egg, and from the appearance of fig. 13 it 
seems that only a bipolar spindle is formed and the second group 
