Summary

The development of Nothofagus seed from the time of pollination is traced. The account includes mainly an incomplete description of megasporogenesis and embryogeny, and, as far as the author is aware, it is the first account for the genus Nothofagus. The peculiar “postament” present in the ovary sac is described.

The morphological development of the nuts of the New Zealand species of Nothofagus has been described (Poole, 1950). In that account it was mentioned that the development of the seed proceeded independently to that of the nut: nuts normally formed from all pistillate flowers, whereas ovules mostly aborted in poor flowering seasons, but in good flowering seasons varying percentages of seed developed.

The formation of the seed in the New Zealand species N. menziesii is described here. Reference is also made to the process in other indigenous species and in N. procera and N. obliqua, South American species, material of which has been available in New Zealand. A comparison has also been made where possible with Fagus sylvatica. Material of this species was available locally and accounts of megasporogenesis (Benson, 1894) and of the seed (Busgen, 1916) have been written.

The present description includes mainly a preliminary account of the megasporogenesis and embryogeny. It has not been possible to get material to cover all stages of these processes; to do so would involve collecting and study over an extended period of years, because the subjects are forest trees and difficult to collect from, the flowers are minute, and a period of several weeks elapses between the times of pollination and fertilization. Presentation of this account was considered to be worthwhile, as nothing has yet been recorded of these processes in Nothofagus.