Sulla Terminologia dei Processi Apomittici

Summary

The Author observing the great disagreement of the terminology usually adopted for the apomictic phenomena, examines the whole series of the phenomena noted both in regards of the formation of the gametophyte and of the embryo. The forming of the gametophyte is fixed on the base of nature of its original cell, normally a haploid spore or »haplospore« (phenomenon of the »haplospory« following the regular meiosis), rarely a diploid spore or »diplospore« (phenomenon of the »diplospory« following the irregular meiosis, as for instance in the case of restitution nucleus, etc.). The original cell can be at least represented by the same cell that usually is the spore mother cell, whether for the outward causes, or for inward causes is lacking the usual reductional process. For the failure of the meiotic process, such a cell cannot be called »spore«.

A cell of the somatic tissue of the sporophyte can even become the original cell of the gametophyte always in case of the absence of the meiosis. These two last cases of apospory are respectively called: »somatic apospory« and »gonial apospory« (= germinal apospory) (Chiarugi 1926).

The formation of the embryo is fixed on the base of the nature of the fecundation. The principal phenomena of the fecundation are represented by the following cases: »amphigamy« (or eugamy, or gamy), »semigamy, »pseudogamy«, »apogamy« »parthenogenesis«. The A. uses the term »apogamy« both for the diploid eggs and for the haploid eggs in which the stimulation of the division is produced by the pollen-tube or by male nuclei, in absence of the gamy.

The term »parthenogenesis« is restricted to the division of the haploid or diploid eggs in which the stimulation is not caused by pollen-tube nor even for the great reason, by the male nuclei existing in it.