57 



According to Berthold (1. c. p. 9), the first stage in the formation of the 

 "neutral spores" or gonidia begins with the protoplasmic body increasing in mass, 

 while at the same time shining globules occur, which are soluble in water and 

 are stained brown by iodine, more rarely minute starch-grains, and the pyrenoid 

 occupies the centre of the cell. During the first stages of these changes one or 

 two divisions take place and then the cell-bodies are set free as spores. Berthold 

 does not indicate, if these divisions are only anticline or if they can also be pe- 

 ricline. According to Schmitz (1896 p. 311), these spores can also arise without 

 division from the whole of the contents of a vegetative cell. The first dividing 

 wall of the fertilized carpogonium is, according to Berthold (I.e. p- Ki), parallel 

 with the surface of the thread, while the following are radial, and we thus have 

 as result eight carpospores in vigorous threads. These though of very variable size 

 are smaller than the gonidia, and difi'er from the latter, according to Berthold, by 

 containing minute granules of starch and a smaller and less lobed chromatophore; 

 they show amoeboid movements though slower than those of the other spores. 



It will be understood from the above, that it is not always easy to decide if 

 we have to do with gonidia or with carpospores, especially in examining dried 

 specimens, and when the direct traces (e. g. canal) of the fecundation process have 

 disappeared. — Male filaments I have met with rather seldom, though at ditTerent 

 seasons, but most frequently and best developed in spring. While the formation 

 of spermatia ordinarily takes place very uniformly, all cells in the same part of 

 the thread being in the same stage of development, some threads collected in July 

 at Frederikshavn showed a more irregular disposition, the antheridia being inter- 

 mingled with cells which were little or not at all divided, and which undoubtedly 

 would not reach to the production of spermatia. They could not be supposed to 

 be carpogonia as there w^ere no spermatia attached outside them and they showed 

 no periclinal walls. Berthold states also, that the species is dioecious "mit we- 

 nigen Ausnahmen". 



Female filaments with attached spermatia I have met with in February, April 

 and May, and I have also several times been able to see the fine fertilization tube, 

 though it seems to disappear rapidly along with the spermatia. In fig. 1 some 

 fertilization tubes are still visible after the disappearance of the spermatia. The 

 carpogonia may appear in thin threads, which are only divided by a few longi- 

 tudinal walls, as w^ell as in thicker filaments the articles of which consist of several 

 cells (fig. 1). Fig. 2 A and B show transverse sections of female filaments which, 

 seen from the side, showed spermatia attached to the surface. The cells, which 

 have been divided by periclinal walls, must be supposed to be fertilized carpogonia. 

 How many cells belong to the individual cystocarps in fig. 3 B is difficult to decide; 

 it seems that vegetative periclinal divisions have also taken place, either before or 

 after fertilization. I have only seldom seen carpospores containing starch-grains, 

 e.g. in specimens collected at Hirshals in April, showing distinctly the process of 



I). K. 1). Viclensk. Sclsk, Ski-,, 7. lUrkkc, iKiliii-vicliMisk, ok' iikiIIii-iii, Alil, \'IL 1. 8 



