COLEOCHATE. 93 
tion. In the withdrawal of the chloroplast into the base of the egg- 
cell, and the formation of a receptive spot, Coleochete is paralleled 
by both Bdogonium and Vaucheria. 
Soon after entering the odgonium the spermatozoid penetrates the 
egg, a membrane is formed about the latter, and the sperm-nucleus 
wanders toward that of the egg (Fig. 33, F). Before final fusion 
takes place, one or more changes occur in the egg, which may be 
worth noting. The chloroplast which lay at the bottom of the egg, 
Fria. 33.—Fecyndation in Coleochete pulvinata.—(After Oltmanns.) 
E, mature odgonium, egg rounded off. 
F-H, odgonia with fecundated eggs; male nucleus in F applied to that of egg; both nuclei 
in resting stage. 
G, a little later than F ; the chloroplast has taken a lateral position in egg. 
H, fusion of sexual nuclei complete. 
as previously stated, divides, and the two resulting chloroplasts take 
positions on opposite sides of the egg (Fig. 33, G). The egg and, 
consequently, the ventral part of the o6gonium increase in size; in the 
former vacuoles appear, and the nuclei which are in the resting con- 
dition fuse completely (Fig. 33, H). 
For the further behavior of the odspore and its germination, which, 
as is well known, bears a tolerably close resemblance to such liver- 
worts as Azccza, the reader is referred to the original papers of 
Pringsheim and Oltmanns. 
