A genetic analysis following the initial detection of a female sterile variant resulted in the finding of seven or eight different female sterile mutants, most or all of which are on linkage groups I and II. They were present in heterokaryotic condition in already existing strains, except one which originated spontaneously during the study. All mutants fail to produce functional protoperithecia. Most of them, however, are able to function as female parents in heterokaryons. All mutants differ morphologically from the wild type, most being subtly different, but two being appreciably different. The apparently high frequency of occurrence of female sterile mutants suggests that protoperithecial development is under an elaborate genetic control. Differences in vegetative morphology appear to be a common property of mutants affecting the early stages of the sexual development.