ALG 75 
whose end-cells are the “carpospores” (Fig. 20 B, sp); 
the whole mass of spores budded off from the fertilized 
carpogonial cell forms the “sporocarp” or “spore-fruit.” 
In the higher Rhodophycee, however, the cell which 
bears the trichogyne does not itself produce the spores, 
but there are certain accessory cells (Fig. 20 E, x) which 
are impregnated, secondarily, by outgrowths from the 
carpogonial cell, known as “odblastema filaments.” A 
direct protoplasmic connection is thus established be- 
tween the carpogonial cell and these auxiliary cells, 
whereupon the latter begin to bud freely and produce the 
spores much as these are formed from the carpogonial 
cell in the lower forms. In certain types the auxiliary 
cells are numerous and widely separated from the car- 
pogonial cell. In such cases several very long odblastema 
filaments grow out from the latter after fertilization, and 
these apply themselves to, the auxiliary cell, which 
thereupon produces a group of spores in the usual 
way. In extreme cases a single odblastema filament 
may be sufficient for impregnating more than one aux- 
iliary cell. 
From some recent investigations it appears that some- 
times parthenogenesis may occur, i.e. the procarp may 
give rise to spores without fertilization. How exten- 
sive this phenomenon is, must be determined by future 
investigations; but the rarity of antheridia in some 
species, and the absence of spontaneous movement in 
the spermatia make it not unlikely that parthenogene- 
sis is not so rare a phenomenon as has usually been 
supposed. Among the green alge parthenogenesis is 
known to occur’ in Chara ecrinita. 
