The Embryology of Aucuba Japonica

In 1878 Eichler made the suggestion that Aucuba japonica might develop fruits apogamously, supporting his opinion on the fact, that he had found well developed embryos though male plants were entirely absent. Nothing having in the meantime been published for or against the the theory of Eichler, Winkler (1908) in his work over parthenogenesis in plants ranged Aucuba amongst the doubtful cases. Winkler’s article caused the second of us writers, when yet being assistant at the botanical laboratory in Utrecht, to take up a cytogical and embryological study of Aucuba. But, leaving Holland for India, the till then obtained results were not published, though the main points of the research were already settled. His meeting in the same laboratory in Buitenzorg with the first named of the authors caused them to work out together the following account.