DEVELOPMENT OF EMBRYO OF GNETUM 



HULDA I. HAINING 



(with plates xxxix-xli and one figure) 



In his paper on the morphology of Gnetum, Thompson (6) fully 

 described the different phases in the reproduction of this genus, 

 except the development of the embryo. The material for an 

 investigation of the latter subject was turned over to me, and the 

 results of my study are given in the following pages. 



The species studied included G. funicular e, and G. sp. 15, G. sp. 

 29, and G. sp. 59 of the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden. Certain 

 stages were also studied in G. Gnemon. The young stages and 

 thicker parts of the embryo were cut in serial section. Preparations 

 of the ripe red fruit and germinating seeds of G. sp. 15, G. sp. 29, 

 and G. sp. 59 were made by dissecting out the embryos with their 

 tortuous suspensors, which were then stained in Delafield's haema- 

 toxylin, extended, and mounted in balsam. On account of the 

 widely branching character of the suspensors this method could 

 not be used for G. funicular e and G. Gnemon, and it was necessary 



to make serial sections. 



History 



Bower (i) gives the following account of the history of the 

 work on the embryo of Gnetum, prior to his own study of the subject. 

 In 1832 Blume and Griffith had observed in G. scandens and 



latifol 



mbry 



small cotyledons. Hooker examined sections of G. Gnemon and 

 found therein " tubular cells" which occasionally branch, permeat- 

 ing the apical part of the endosperm. 



In 1882 Bower published his account of the development of 

 the embryo of G. Gnemon. He states that in the ripe seeds the 

 suspensors bear no embryo, but have the appearance described 

 by Hooker. Although doubtful of the origin of the first cell of 



the embryo, formed after germination, he assumes 



Botanical Gazette, vol. 70] 



[436 



