SPORE FORMATION IN PHILOCOPRA COERULEOTECTA 73 
center at the tip of the beak and the astral rays radiating outward 
in all directions. The divisions take place near the wall and the 
centers ultimately appear to be in contact with the plasma membrane 
of the ascus. 
The appearance of the distinct beak on the nucleus at the close 
of so many successive divisions is significant. In the few-spored 
ascus the beaked nuclei are conspicuous at the close of the third divi- 
sion. The beaks are unmistakable even in the very small nuclei in 
Philocopra coeruleotecta. The central body against the plasma mem- 
brane, with the clear-staining nuclear contents, and the relatively 
long thin beak, are all distinct in appearance. 
The beaked nuclei with the centers against the ascus membrane, 
together with the strongly developed astral rays suggests at once 
that the delimitation in this many-spored form agrees with that 
found in the few-spored Ascomycetes. The interastral zones where 
the rays from adjacent asters meet is further evidence in this direction. 
Besides, some of the delicate fibers are visible as they turn down- 
ward over the nucleus. The long duration of the connection between 
the center and the spore membrane leaves no question that the spores 
are delimited by the astral rays as in the few-spored Ascomycetes. 
A comparison between the processes here and those in Geoglossum 
glahrum shows them to be remarkably similar in the two cases. The 
beaked nuclei with their centers in contact with the ascus membrane, 
the conspicuous asters, the interastral zones, the turning downward 
of the tips of the newly delimited spores while the centers with the 
beaked nuclei still remain in contact with the spore membrane, all 
point toward a similar method of spore delimitation. This method 
was first described by Harper and is common in the few-spored forms 
of the Ascomycetes. 
Lewis (19) described spore formation in Pleurago zygospora, a 
sixteen-spored Ascomycete. The delimitation occurs at the close 
of the third division, the same as in the eight-spored forms. A sub- 
sequent division produces the sixteen spores. The larger number 
of nuclei formed in Philocopra coeruleotecta before delimitation brought 
forth the question whether the method of delimitation is different 
from that described for the other Ascomycetes. Whether or not 
this method of delimitation is common to the other many-spored 
Ascomycetes is not yet determined. But the studies of Lewis (19) 
and Overton (22), as well as the present investigation, suggest that 
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