Abstract
The structure and behaviour of free female, male and proembryonal nuclei ofEncephalartos villosus Lem. were studied during a light-microscopical investigation of serially sectioned archegonia in successfully pollinated ovules. Before spermatozoids were released from the pollen tubes into the archegonial chamber, the ventral canal nucleus had disintegrated in the neck region of the egg cell among minute, amoeboid bodies with PAS-positive granules. In archegonia containing multiple spermatozoids, the egg nucleus was unobtrusive and syngamy followed by proembryo formation regularly resulted. The egg cell usually reacted violently in archegonia penetrated by a single spermatozoid. These reactions were regarded as rejection phenomena and considered as indicators that the egg cell can differentiate between compatible and incompatible male gametes.
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