Mdo tic Nuclear Divisions of Galtonia candicans . 733 
take a chromatin stain, but slightly more faintly than does the deeply 
staining nucleolus. There is always a clear space round each crystalline 
body, and often one or more bright refractive dots are to be seen in close 
proximity (Fig. 28, b and d). In the isolated cases where the outer cells are 
dividing, the ‘ bodies ’ can be recognized throughout the prophase stages 
and are thrown out at spindle formation, as described by Zimmermann ( 36 ). 
Leitgeb ( 15 ) thinks that the crystals are probably reserve material, and 
that they are connected with the flowering of the plant, for he found that 
the further situated the tissue was from the bloom, the more sporadic the 
occurrence of the crystals. 
Prophase . 
Then follow an inverse series of events concerned in the building up of 
the chromosomes. The stages immediately following the ‘ rest ’ are not 
easily distinguished from those that precede it. The only recognizable 
criteria are, that in the prophases the nuclei are slightly larger, and there 
is a total absence of spindle remains. 
The general object and character of the prophases is to compass 
a gradual and ever-increasing concentration of the linin until the com¬ 
pletion of the fully formed chromosomes. The construction of each 
ultimate chromosome entails both an end-to-end joining of the separate 
linin fragments which have originated from the cross division of the 
chromosomes at the preceding telophase, and also a side-to-side approxima¬ 
tion of the parallel longitudinal halves of each fragment which have arisen 
from the alveolization of the same. This early concentration may take 
diverse forms ; the linin may be condensed into bands, or into irregular 
masses, or into granules (Fig. 22). All these variations may be found in 
a single nucleus. Again, these bands and masses may be homogeneous or 
vacuolized, and the granules may be scattered irregularly, or they may lie 
in parallel rows. In the roots these early stages are beautifully clear 
(Pis. LIX and LX, Figs. 19, 20, and 21). There is a tendency for the 
reticulate nature to become modified, and for the meshes to be drawn 
into more definite strands. Each strand is ladder-like, its sides consisting 
of parallel rows of beads or granules which are cross connected by fine 
threads (PI. LIX, Figs. 8, 9, and 10), and fine threads also join the separate 
strands to one another (Figs. 8, 9, and 10). The strands become more 
definite. The fine thread-like connexions persist up to the time when the 
daughter chromosomes separate from one another on the spindle. Thus, 
except during anaphase and early telophase, the connexions are present 
throughout the nuclear cycle. 
In Galtonia the chromatin does not lie in discs alternating with clear 
linin areas, but is equally diffused throughout the linin, giving a distinctly 
homogeneous appearance to the nuclear contents. 
