224 Nichols, A morphological study of Jimiperus communis var. depressa. 
the central cell begins to show the peculiar aster-like structures 
which Noren (1908) terms “Strahlungscentren”, and forwhich tbe 
writer suggests tbe term Asteroid. Granulär areas appear wbicb 
occupy definite positions in tbe cell, and from tbese tbe cytoplasm 
radiates in all directions. Tbese kinoplasmic radiations, as sbown 
in figs. 80—85, present tbe appearance of granulär fibers, and tbe 
wbole structure assumes tbe form of an immense aster. One of 
tbese asteroids is invariably situated in close proximfty to tbe 
nucleus, and a second one may frequently be seen directly below 
tbis, while one or more are present in tbe lower part of tbe cell 
(figs. 91, 95). Tbey are most prominent during tbe diyision oftbe 
central cell nucleus, but tbe lower ones at any rate are still visible 
in tbe egg cell sbortly before fertilization. Tbe significance of 
tbe asteroids, especially of tbose in tbe lower portion of tbe arcbe- 
gonium, is not clear. Coker (1903b) suggests tbat tbe latter 
regulate tbe entrance of nutritive materials from tbe jacket cells, 
wbile Noren (1907) regards tbem as attraction centers, since, as 
tbe writer’s investigations also sbow, granules of tbe cytoplasm 
are drawn toward tbem and accumulate at their centers (see 
Noren 1907, fig. 10). It may be wortby of note tbat tbe first 
appearance of tbe protein vacuoles follows sbortly after tbe Or¬ 
ganization of tbe asteroids. Concerning tbe probable function of 
tbe upper asteroid mention will be made presently. Structures 
similar to tbese bave been observed by Coker (1903b, 1902) in 
Taxodium and Podocarpus, by Land (1902) in Thuja, and by 
Lawson (1907 a) in Cephalotaxus. In several otber Gymnosperms, 
viz., Cycas (Ikeno 1898), Dioon (Cbamberlain 1906), Pinus 
(Blackman 1898, Cbamberlain 1899, Ferguson 1904), Tsuga 
(Murrill 1900), Picea and Äbies (Miyake 1903 a, 1903 b), kino¬ 
plasmic radiations of a more or less pronounced cbaracter bave 
been eitber described or figured in connection witb tbe di- 
vision of tbe central cell nucleus or tbe development of tbe egg, 
but tbey are mucb less conspicuous tban tbe structures found in 
Juniperus , wbere tbey form one of tbe most striking features of 
tbe arcbegonium. 
The occurrence of “Hofmeisters Körperchen’’, or protein 
vacuoles, in tbe arcbegonium of J. communis bas already been de- 
monstrated by Noren (1907, fig. 65). In var. depressa tbey appear 
sbortly before tbe division of tbe central cell nucleus and are seen 
to best advantage in tbe lower part of tbe egg cell just previous 
to fertilization. Immediately after tbe fusion of tbe male and 
female nuclei tbe protein vacuoles begin to disappear and at no 
time are tbey as conspicuous as in tbe Abieteae. Their significance 
bas been tbe cause of considerable controversy, and for a full 
review of tbe literature tbe reader is referred to tbe excellent paper 
of Stopes and Fujii (1906). Tbese authors suggest tbat the 
protein vacuoles “may be digestive vacuoles comparable in origin 
and function witb tbe digestive vacuoles of tbe lower organisms’. 
Whatever their function, it is uow generally agreed tbat tbey arise 
within tbe central cell and are in some way concerned witb tbe 
nutrition of tbe egg. 
