298 üarquette, Ilanifestations of polarity in plant cells whicli usw. 
indications of spindle formation are present, tliat is, during synapsis. 
Daring synapsis the chromatin collects at one side of the nucleus 
and thus for tlie time being brings abont a visible polar Organization 
of the cell. In animal cells the chromatin aggregates on the side 
of the nncleus next to the central body; according to Har per the 
same is also true of PhyllactiniciA ) For the higher plants no 
explanation has as yet beeil offered as to what determines at 
whicli side of the nncleus the chromatin shall aggregate. That 
the Position of the synaptic mass is not determined bv gravity is 
seen at once by examining any spore sac whose spore-mother-cells 
are in synapsis. 
The fact that a conspicuous polar Organization of the cells of 
higher plants appears at or about at the time of synapsis, at a 
time when the plant is returning to a one celled condition, suggests 
that this may be a striking back to an ancestral condition. 
Further evidence must be had as to whether the bodies in 
the cytoplasm described in any of the cases just mentioned bear 
any such definite and constant relation to the formation and 
Position of the spindle as do the polar structures in the vegetative 
cells of Isoetes. The conditions described for Eqnisetum and Marsilia 
during synapsis suggest the existence of a definite polar Organization 
in the cells of these plants, and Strasburger’s observations on 
Anthoceros and Fitting's on the macrospore-mother-cells of Isoetes 
point to a similar condition in tliese cases also. It is higlily 
desirable that a re-investigation of the spore-mother cells as well 
as the vegetative cells of Anthoceros and likewise of the epidermal 
assimilatory cells of Selaginella be undertaken from this standpoint. 
The large chromatophores whicli are usually found singly in 
the restiug cells in the vascular cryptogams certainly require 
further investigation. Usually the chromatophore in tlie higher 
plants is a structure of relatively small dimensions; the leucoplast 
may become hugely distended by a storage starch grain but in so 
doing becomes so thin and so closely pressed against the starch 
tliat it is difficult to distinguish it at all. The suspicion arises 
that possibly tlie structures found in Selaginella and in the spore 
mother cells of Anthoceros are not chloroplasts at all but tliat the 
chloroplasts lie inside of These structures, close about the starch 
grains. This, liowever, can only be determined by further investi¬ 
gation. Jliere are undoubtedly points of resemblence between tlie 
polar structures of Isoetes and the bodies-described as chromato- 
phores in Anthoceros. Still, the polar structures of Isoetes bear a 
relation to the karyokinetic figure which has not been described 
for chromatophores, so tliat to include tliese structures linder 
chromatophores would, for the present at least by entirely un- 
marrantecl. I have so far called thern starch bodies, but this term 
is not without objections since tliese structures also appear entirely 
] ) Harper, R. A.: Sexual reproduction and the Organization of tlie nncleus 
in certain mildews. (Carnegie Inst. Wash. 1905. PI. IV figs. 13—15.) 
