276 THE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. [Vo ]. xxrv. No. aft. 



the fusion of the three. The large nucleus formed by their union 

 (Fig. 23) divides as a rule without formation of the cell- wall. 

 In the telophase of the division the chromosomes crowd in a 

 lump, and then the vacuoles are used to appear between them, 

 so as to form three lumps (though not always three) of the 

 chromosomes. With the growth of the vacuoles, the lumps of 

 chromosomes are scattered about the surface of the nuclear 

 cavity ; and by this time three large nucleoli, as found before 

 the complete formation of the primary endosperm nucleus, 

 always make their appearance (Text-fig. B. b). Among them, 

 two nucleoli unite at first to form one (Text-fig. B. c), and then 

 the third comes to the union with the latter. The course of event 

 during the free nuclear division is very regular. In the later 

 stages it is not so well marked. A large nucleolus is here usully 

 to be found, and the appearing of three nucleoli is rather rare. 

 These processes seem to indicate the autonomy of the nuclear 

 elements belonging to those three nuclei which form" the initial 

 of the endosperm, during the early stages of development of the 

 endosperm. 



It reminds us of a paper by Hacker (4), in which the view 

 of autonomy of the paternal and the maternal portions in the 

 nucleus of the 'Keimbahn ' is expressed, and the regular appearing 

 of two nucleoli in the symmetrical positions at the end of each 

 cell division is pointed out as an evidence. I have not observed 

 the actual separation of the nuclei or the spindles, as it is the 

 case with Copepoda &c ; but I have once met with the figure 

 as shown in the Text-fig B. d. The relative positions of the 

 chromosomes are not distinct, but they seem to have been 

 divided, so as to make three groups as the marks of straight 

 lines in the figure will indicate. Strasburger (13) has observed 

 clear figures of chromosomes in the endosperm-nuclei of Galto- 

 nia candicans, in which paired and unpaired arrangements of 

 chromosomes were found, a fact which indicates the actual 

 fusion of 3 nuclei of endosperm-initials. I am inclined to believe 

 that in the case of Oryza satiya this fusion of three nuclei is 

 postponed until the free nuclear division stage has passed over. 



The endosperm-formation in Oryza satiya proceeds as 



