678 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Phycomycetes and Ascomycetes.* — A. Moller gives a detailed 

 account of the Brazilian Phycomycetes and A scomycetes. Among the 

 many interesting points, the following may be especially noted. 



Among the Phycomycetes, Empusa Muscse and Conidiobolus utriculosus 

 are as abundant as with us. The life-history of Basidiobolus Banarum 

 is especially followed out. The genera Dimargaris, Disjrira, Goemansia, 

 Martensella, Syncephalis, and Piptocephalis, must be removed from the 

 Zygomycetes and placed at the end of the Entomophthoraceae. In the 

 Oomycetes there are three series: — the 1st including the genera 

 Pythium, Phytophthora, and Peronospora ; the 2nd begins with Mono- 

 blepharis, and leads, through Basidiobolus, to Conidiobolus ; the 3rd 

 includes Calvocephalis, Syncephalis, Piptocephalis, and others. Most of 

 the Phycomycetes are cosmopolitan ; Choanophora americana sp. n. is 

 described. 



The various theories with regard to the sexuality of the Fungi are 

 discussed at length. The author does not consider either Harper's 

 or Dangeard's conclusions as at present beyond the region of con- 

 troversy. 



Among the Hypocreaceae the form of the ascospore must be taken as 

 the first factor in classification rather than the differentiation of the 

 stroma. 



Nearly all the Didymoporse are parasitic on other fungi, and possess 

 conids and chlamydospores. Several new species of Hypocrea and of 

 other genera are described, and the following new genera : — Mycocitrus 

 aurantium g. et sp. n. forms large red spherical stromata (^ lb. in weight) 

 on bamboos. Similar large stromata are formed on the bamboo by 

 Pelaronectria vinosa g. et sp. n., belonging to the Phragmosporae ; its 

 spores are 4-celled. 



The Scolecosporae are especially abundant in the Tropics. Mycomalus 

 bambusinus g. et sp. n. also forms spherical stromata on bamboos ; Asco- 

 polyporus g. n. has a stroma resembling in form that of a pleurocarpous 

 Polyporus. The genus Cordyceps is especially abundant in the Tropics, 

 and many new species are described. 



Among Sphaeriaceae we have, in the Xylarieae, Trachyxylaria g. n., 

 with free peritheces; Entonaema g. n., with soft, gelatinous, hollow, 

 black receptacle, and unicellular dark-brown spores; and Henningsinia 

 g. n., with receptacle of extraordinary hardness, resembling a button. 



Among the Discomycetes 2 new genera are described : — The mycele 

 of Phycoascus tremellosus g. et sp. n. forms a kind of loosely felted 

 hypothallus. The apothece of Peltigeromyees microsporus g. et sp. n. 

 forms discs o cm. in diameter, with rolled up lobes and branches at the 

 margin. 



Biology and Cytology of Pythium ultimum sp. n. \ — Dr. A. H. 

 Trow describes this new species of fungus, distinguished from the other 

 species of Pythium by the absence of zoospores, found on rotten cress- 

 seedlings. It is a pure saprophyte, and can be cultivated on animal or 

 vegetable media. On potatoes an aerial mycele is freely formed, which 

 remains sterile for weeks. An aquatic mycele is produced on house-flies 



* Schimper's Bot. Mittheil. a. d. Tropeu, Heft ix. (1901) 319 pp. and 11 pis. Pee 

 Bot. Centralbl., lxxxvi. (1901) p. 133. 



t Ann. of Bot., xv. (1901) pp. 269-312 (2 pis). 



