330 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Vegetative Reproduction in Chondria crassicaulis.* — K. Okamura 

 has found and examined knob-like ranielli which are produced on the 

 apices of ramuli in this alga. They are elongato-obovate or ellipsoidal 

 in shape and grow 5-7 or more on the same apex. Their general struc- 

 ture is the same as that of the main thallus, except that the cells are 

 more compact, roundish, and rich in contents. The layer of cells which 

 divides the epidermis from the central axis is very rich in globular 

 starch. The neck, which connects the knob with the thallus, is com- 

 posed of very loose tissue, and the knob is thus easily detached. The 

 author has found slight prominences on the surface of the knobs, which, 

 as seen in longitudinal section, are composed of elongated cells filled 

 with protoplasm. These prominences he regards as the beginning of 

 root-hairs. The paper ends with remarks on the systematic position 

 of Chondria crassicaulis Harv., which should be ranked, in the author's 

 opinion, among the tribe Chondrise Macrocarpa3. 



Fresh-water Diatoms.f — A. Forti publishes a tabulated list of 178 

 diatoms collected in Friuli and the Eastern Alps. These collections 

 were made in 23 different localities, either on the banks of lakes or at 

 varying depths in them. Notes are given respecting the geography or 

 geology of some of these lakes, as well as remarks on the occurrence of 

 certain species in the various samples. 



The same author gives a list of 41 species found in the lakes of 

 Lagorai and Stellune in Trentino. Of these, the most uncommon are 

 Suriraya Capronii Breb., Meridion constrictum Ralfs, Eunotia tetraodon 

 Ehr., Pinnularia Legumen Ehr., Suriraya calcarata Nitz., and Ceratoneis 

 Arcus Ehr. 



Diatoms of Koh Chang.J — A list is published of the marine plankton 

 diatoms of this district by C. H. Ostenfeld, and one of the fresh-water 

 diatoms by E. Oestrup. New species are described in both papers. 

 The marine collection was obtained from the surface of the sea in the 

 inner part of the Gulf of Siam. The fresh-water forms were found in 

 pools, river-beds, rice-fields, and inland waterfalls. It is interesting to 

 find certain marine forms recorded from both the rice-fields and the 

 inland waterfalls. Their presence in the rice-fields is accounted for by 

 the proximity of these shallow fields to the sea-coast, but it is more 

 difficult to explain the appearance of Acknanthes baccata in inland 

 waterfalls. 



Blue Diatom.§ — H. Molisch records the occurrence of the blue 

 diatom, Navicula ostrearia, on the shells of Pinna nobilis L., at the 

 zoological station in Triest. It had been previously recorded by E. Bay 

 Lankester from Marennes on the Normandy coast, growing on Ostrea 

 edulis, and the blue-green colour of the oysters and of the diatom has 

 been made a subject of speculation by zoologists. Carazzi is of opinion 

 that both organisms absorb certain material from the surrounding water 

 and thus form the colour for themselves. The blue colour is confined 

 to the two ends of the diatom, and is said by Professor Lankester to 



» Bot. Mag. Tokyo, xvii. (1903) pp. 1-5. 



t Att. R. 1st. Ven., lxii. (1902-3) pt. 2. pp. 285-321. 



X Bot. Tidssk., xxv. (1902) pp. 1-41 (23 figs, in text). 



§ Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Geaell., xxi. (1903) pp. 23-6 (1 pi.). 



