Fig. 3. Differential interference contrast micrographs of cleared ovules at 24 h after hand pollination. (A) Pendant proembryo (arrow) has increased in diameter to two fold that of the egg. The central cell/endosperm nuclei have migrated to the periphery of the vacuolated central cell in the the egg sac. Bar = 10 µm. (B) A more advanced, multicellular proembryo (arrow). The developing endosperm has multiple nuclei. Bar 20 µm. (C) Collapsing ovule at 24 hr after fertilization. The collapse of the ovule, as indicated by the withdrawal of the ovule from the inner ovary wall (arrowhead) is characteristic of both nonfertilized ovules at 24 h and aborting ovules after fertilization. Bar = 20 µm. (D) Pollen tube remnants converging from the three stylar canals at the micropyle (arrowhead). A nonfertilized egg was evident, but is not shown at the base of the micrograph. Bar = 10 µm.
