442 MR. G. MASSEE ON THE 
to find that the structure of tho fertile tips of the hyphe agreed l 
in every detail with those of Stilbum vulgare, as described and 
figured by Juel. It was clearly evident that if the one was 2 
Protobasidiomycete, the other must necessarily be one also 
(Pl. 15. figs. 10-12). 
Furthermore, this discovery revealed the somewhat unexpected 
fact that the conidial condition of an ascigerous fuugus was 
itself a typical member of the Protobasidiomycetes. 
Tubercularia volutella, Corda, is also a true Protobasidiomycete, 
having distinctly clavate, transversely septate basidia, each 
septum bearing a single spore (Pl. 16. fig. 16). 
As stated by Juel, I found that many species of Stilbum and 
Tubercularia possessed basidia or spore-bearing hyphæ differing 
in structure from those of Stilbum vulgare, and indicating at first 
sight the possibility of belonging to a distinct genus, as suggested 
by Juel. However, after having examined over one hundred 
species included in the two genera, it was clearly seen that all 
the basidia conformed to a single type of structure, the differences 
observable being entirely due to two minor modifications of the 
typieal form: 1, the relative length of the two or three fertile 
cells of the basidium ; 2, the relative expansion into a clavate 
form of the two or three fertile cells constituting the basidium. 
In Tubercularia vulgaris, Tode, the conidial condition of Nectria 
cinnabarina, Fries (Pl. 16. fig. 15), the spore-bearing structure 
s farthest removed from the typical form of a Protobasidiomy- 
cete basidium as illustrated by that of Stilbum vulgare; the 
fertile cells are much elongated, perfectly cylindrical, and not 
thicker than the supporting hy pha. 
Intermediate between this primitive type and the true basidium- 
form as already stated to exist in Zubercularia volutella, Corda, 
may be instanced the basidia of Tubercularia subpedicellata, 
Schweinitz, where the fertile cells are shortened as compared with 
those of 7. cinnabarina, Tode, and collectively form a narrowly 
clavate body (Pl. 16. fig. 17). 
In Stilbum fasciculatum, Berk. & Broome, the conidial condi- 
tion of Spherostilbe gracilipes, Tul. (Pl. 15. fig. 13), the basidia are 
identical in structure with those of Hirneola Auricula-Jude, Berk., 
as figured by De Bary (8), and also with those of Auricularia 
sambucina, Mart., described and figured by Brefeld (9). These 
prove conclusively that the cells composing the basidium may be 
considerably elongated, and not at all clavate. 
