PEALE OPRTLY TA 329 
cells. At the nodes there are whorls of short branches of limited 
growth. These short branches bear still shorter branches and 
the sexual organs (Figs. 335, 336). 
Reproduction. No asexual reproduction by spores is known in 
Ohara. Sexual reproduction results from the fertilization of eggs 
by spermatozoids. The 
odgonium is egg-shaped 
and consists of a single 
ego surrounded by a 
_flasklike jacket of spirally 
wound cells (Fig. 336). 
The egg is very large 
and contains numerous 
starch grains. The an- 
theridium is spherical, is 
red when mature, and 
has an exceedingly com- 
plex structure (Fig. 336). 
There is an outer layer 
consisting of eight cells 
known as shield cells. 
From each of these there 
projects inward a long 
cell, the manubrium (Fig. 

Hig. def. Ghara 
Above: a manubrium with head and ultimate 
: cells and filaments of sperm cells. Below: at 
337) » at the end of which the left, portions of two filaments, one showing 
is a rounded cell, the head cells before formation of spermatozoids, the 
other with contents transformed into sperma- 
cell. The head cells pro- : 
: tozoids; at the right, mature spermatozoids, 
duce varied numbers of (x 1000) 
small cells. From each 
of the ultimate cells there grow two long filaments, each of which 
contains about two hundred cells. A spermatozoid is devéloped 
in each of these (Fig. 337). When an antheridium is mature, it 
is ruptured and the spermatozoids escape and swim around and 
enter the necks of the odgonia. A single sperm cell fuses with 
an egg cell to form an odspore. When an oospore germinates, 
it grows into a new Chara plant (Hig. 338). 
