Nov., 1914.] 
Stamens of Smilax herbacea. 
361 
Sauer, when investigating Convallaria majalis (10), found that 
there was a resting period after the last archesporial division, 
but that in a short time a chromatin network was formed. The 
nueleous described as being visible from the beginning, fragments 
in the later stages forming several micronucleoli. He says that 
there is a clear area in the nucleus and that the continuity of the 
spirem is very evident. After synizesis a loosening and unwinding 
of the thread begins. The linin thread becomes thicker and the 
chromatin granules elongate. Altho the spirem is shorter it 
occupies the whole cavity and the division of the granules is 
apparent. After this stage the doubleness of the spirem is no 
longer visible. The spirem is next thrown into sixteen loops 
which later divide into sixteen chromosomes. The first division 
of the chromosomes in the microsporocvtes is transverse and 
therefore qualitative. 
Miss Hyde found in Hyacinthus orientalis (3), a definite 
network in the microsporocyte, but fails to discover any accumula¬ 
tion of chromatin material that might be interpreted as proto¬ 
chromosomes. She determined, however, that the complicated 
spirem was continuous, undergoing synizesis, looping, and finally 
breaking into eight well individualized chromosomes. 
Miss McAvoy, in her observations of the reduction division 
in Fucshia (7), found protochromosomes which seemed to stretch 
out and form a continuous spirem with chromatin granules. 
The spirem undergoes synizesis after which the delicate thread 
soon begins to thicken and in a short time shows loops which 
lie along the periphery of the nucleus. These loops, fourteen in 
number, break apart to form fourteen chromosomes. 
The study that she made of Oenothera biennis (8), served 
to confirm the results stated in her previous paper in as much 
as she found a reticulum and protochromosomes which in turn 
formed a continuous spirem that could be traced its entire length. 
The synizetic knot is not so tight as in some plants and even 
in this stage she was able to trace out much of the spirem. Loops 
were formed which break apart forming seven chromosomes. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS. 
The primary purpose of this study was to observe the reduc¬ 
tion division in the microsporocvtes of Smilax herbacea and 
also to incidentally consider any peculiarities in relation to the 
degeneration of normal stamens to vestigal structures or to 
their complete disappearance. It was found, however, that the 
material available did not give the more critical stages bearing 
upon the second part of the problem. 
The material used in the investigation was collected from the 
first week in May, 1913, at Columbus, Ohio, to the middle of 
June, 1913, near the Lake Laboratory at Cedar Point. The 
