The Somatic, Premeiotic, and Meiotic Nuclear 
Divisions of Galtonia candicans. 
BY 
L. DIGBY. 
With Plates LIX-LXIII. 
Introduction. 
T HE cytology of Galtonia candicans has been the subject of much study, 
the large size of the nuclei, the clearness of the figures, and the low 
number of the chromosomes facilitating examination. Moreover, the tissues 
are easily ‘ fixed ’ and the nuclei take the stains readily. Notwithstanding 
these favourable features, there is yet much divergence of opinion as regards 
the sequence, and the interpretation, of the nuclear phases. 
In 1904 Strasburger ( 30 ) described the heterotype divisions of Galtonia 
and concluded that the univalent chromosomes arose end to end in the 
spireme (telosynapsis), as previously described by Farmer and Moore ( 4 ) in 
various animals and plants. The following year (1905) Strasburger ( 31 ) 
changed his opinion and stated that the univalent chromosomes were 
arranged side by side in the spireme (parasynapsis). The meiotic phase was 
worked out in detail by Miyake ( 21 ) in the same year, and he corroborated 
Strasburger’s second view. In 1907 Mottier ( 22 ) endorsed Strasburger’s 
original account as to the origin of the chromosomes. Gregoire (10) (1907), 
while agreeing with the parasynaptic chromosome formation, put a different 
interpretation on to the £ gamosomes ’ and £ zygosomes ’ of Strasburger and 
Miyake. These he believed were due partly to the action of the fixative 
and partly to the method of staining. In the course of this paper the 
different views held by these investigators will be discussed. 
As Galtonia is easy to manipulate, and lends itself admirably to 
cytological study, it was suggested to me by Professor Farmer that it 
would repay further research. 
In order to obtain a detailed knowledge of the cytology of Galtonia , it 
has been found expedient to examine the somatic, premeiotic, and meiotic 
divisions. The somatic divisions have been worked at in the roots. The 
divisions of the roots are far more easy to elucidate than are the premeiotic 
divisions of the archesporium, but those of the archesporium are instructive 
both from a comparative point of view and also for tracing the transition 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XXIV. No. XCVI. October, 1910.] 
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