342 
C lei and. — The Cytology and Life- history of 
Germination of the Carpospore. 
The germination of the carpospore has been briefly described by 
Lewis (1912#), but as he did not consider details of cytological structure, I 
have taken up the matter from that standpoint. The following account is 
based entirely upon sectioned material. 
The rounded carpospore possesses a chromatophore, in the condition 
corresponding to Fig. 8,f and a nucleus which is in the resting state show- 
ing a closely woven reticulum (Fig. 66). Previous to germination, the 
chromatophore may divide (Fig. 67), although as a general rule it remains 
undivided. Germination is by means of a tube which is put forth as 
a papilla and attains varying lengths. Into this the contents of the spore 
pass, the chromatophore in advance of the nucleus. If the chromatophore 
has previously divided, one of the two remains behind in the cyst (Figs. 80, 
82). During the growth of the germ tube, and the passage into it of the 
spore contents, the nucleus completes the early stages of prophase (Fig. 70). 
These correspond exactly to those described for the cystocarp, but are even 
more striking in appearance, due to the large size and clearness of the 
nucleus. By the time that the nucleus is in mid-prophase, it has taken up 
a position near, or at the entrance to, the tube (Figs. 71, 72). There it 
completes the stages preliminary to mitosis and there it divides. Late 
prophase consists in the condensation and amalgamation of the numerous 
chromatic bodies until s eight chromosomes are formed (Figs. 71-73). During 
late prophase, the polar structures may often be seen, at first minute, then 
becoming larger and more prominent (Figs. 70, 72, 74). At this time the 
nucleoplasm becomes very dense and stains heavily, so that it is almost 
impossible to make out the stages just preliminary to metaphase. When 
first formed, the equatorial plate is almost obscured by this state of affairs. 
A little later, however, the figure comes out clearly and it is possible to see 
that there are approximately eight chromosomes (Figs. 77, 78). The spindle 
is intranuclear (Figs. 75, 78), and no trace of the nucleolus has been seen at 
metaphase. The figure may lie in a perpendicular or in a horizontal position 
with respect to the axis of the germ tube (Figs. 75 - 77 )* The daughter 
chromosomes separate (Figs. 78, 79), pass to the poles, and are organized 
in the usual way to form daughter nuclei. One of the daughter nuclei 
passes into the tube, the other remains behind in the cyst, and a wall is laid 
down, cutting the germ tube off from the cyst (Figs. 80, 81). 
The subsequent history of the cyst is interesting. If the chromato- 
phore has divided previous to germination, one of the daughter chromato- 
phores remains in the cyst and soon begins to break down. The nucleus 
also in many cases disintegrates, but it may undergo a mitotic division. 
The figure is occasionally seen (Figs. 83, 84), and even prophase stages 
have been observed (Fig. 82) Following the mitosis, however, the daughter 
