454 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
(25) describes the fusion of the antheridium and ascogonium in 
Monascus, but does not find any fusion of nuclei except in the ascus. 
In Lachnea scutellata the writer has been unable to find any fusion 
of nuclei except the one in the ascus. The haploid number of 
chromosomes persists throughout the vegetative hyphae, asco- 
gonium, and ascogenous hyphae; while the diploid number exists 
only in the primary nucleus of the ascus. There are, however, 
appearances in the ascogonium and other parts of the ascocarp, 
which were at first mistaken for fusing nuclei. When the nuclei 
are preparing for division, the chromosomes tend to become 
arranged in a group resembling a nucleolus. The nuclei at this 
stage are of course large, and often, unless well stained and care- 
fully studied, appear to have two nucleoli. When the nucleoli 
have divided, they often reorganize so close together that after a 
slight growth they are pressed against each other as in the case of 
fusing nuclei. Careful study, however, has failed to show any 
cases in which the nuclear walls were disappearing, and often the 
remains of spindle fibers could still be distinguished. Even the 
nuclei resulting from the division of the primary nucleus of the 
ascus can sometimes be found pressed against each other. Con- 
sidering the above facts and the increasing amount of negative 
evidence, it would seem necessary to study the nuclei in all stages, 
including division, and to distinguish between true and apparent 
fusions before the fusion of nuclei in the ascogonium can be regarded 
as proved or even probable. This is particularly true of such an 
aberrant case as the presence of a second nuclear fusion following 
the sexual fusion in the life history of the same plant, and it is to 
be noted that divisions in the ascogonium have not been reported 
in any of the forms, mentioned above, in which a fusion of nuclei 
has been described in the ascogonium. In view of what has been 
said, there would seem to be little reason for thinking that Leotia 
differs from Monascus and Lachnea scutellata in having a fusion 
of nuclei in the ascogonium; and so the explanation of the fusion 
of sister nuclei will probably have to be sought in some other 
way than by regarding the fusion as simply a vegetative one. 
The question may be asked as to whether the relationship of 
fusing nuclei is of any significance if they are in the same plant 
