Studies in the Morphology of Torreya californica.213 
Fig 27, the starch grains have disappeared from the tip cells and 
are confined to the suspensors as described by Coker 1 for Taxod'mm. 
The number of suspensors is sometimes four and sometimes 
six. 
VIII.— The Number of Chromosomes in the Female 
Gametophyte. 
I have made an attempt to count the chromosomes in one of 
the two cases in which I observed the division of the nucleus of 
the central cell of the archegonium (Fig. 13). One of the daughter 
nuclei has six V-shaped chromosomes besides fragments which 
appear to bring the total number up to eight. In the other 
daughter nucleus five V-shaped chromosomes could be dis¬ 
tinguished and again the cut pieces seemed to make up the 
number eight. Each daughter nucleus appeared in two successive 
sections. In one dividing endosperm nucleus which I examined 
the chromosomes were grouped at the equatorial plate just before 
their journey to the poles. Here I was able to count fifteen, and 
I think that it is not unlikely that one was missed owing to fore¬ 
shortening. I also made out eight chromosomes in three young 
endosperm nuclei. I am fully aware that, considering the great 
difficulty of accurate counting, a few observations like these are 
quite an insufficient basis for a general statement as to the number 
of chromosomes in the female gametophyte of Torreya californica. 
If further work should confirm the number eight it will be of some 
interest however, since Strasburger 2 has recently shewn that Taxus 
baccata possesses eight chromosomes in the gametophyte, thus 
resembling Ceratozamia mexicana, and differing from the other 
Conifers for which the number twelve is characteristic. 
IX. —Summary. 
The germination of the megaspore takes place about the end 
of June. Throughout July the endosperm is developing, and at 
the beginning of August archegonia make their appearance ; there 
are two, three or four in each ovule, three being the most usual 
number. The neck generally consists of one tier of four or six cells. 
The division of the central cell was observed in two archegonia 
from one ovule collected on August 20th. No ventral canal cell is 
formed, and it seems that the nucleus must be very short-lived. 
1 W. C. Coker. Loc. cit. 
2 E. Strasburger. “ Anlage des Embryosackes und Prothal- 
liumbildung bei der Eibe.” Festschrift zum Siebzigsten 
Geburtstage von Ernst Haeckel, Jena. Gustav Fischer 1904. 
Reviewed Bot. Gaz., June, 1904. 
