ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 681 



absorption of moisture by tbe mucus and consequent increase of 

 volume. 



New Genera of Fungi.* — In a collection of fungi made by M. A. 

 Chevalier, in Senegal and the western Soudan, N. Patouillard and P. 

 Hariot describe a new ge7ius of " Fungi imperfecti," Ovulariopsis, with 

 the following diagnosis : — Biophyta ; hypbfe steriles repentes, fertiles 

 adscendentes, simplices, septatas, apice conidiopboro ; conidia acrogena, 

 solitaria, simplicia, hyalina, subclaviformia. 



Tbe following new genera of Fungi from Japan are described by 

 P. blennings.f 



Hydnofomes (near Hydnochsetes). Lignosus, durus, apus, perennis, 

 e stratis annosis crusta rigida obductus, sulcatus ; bymenium iuferum, 

 aculeatum, aculeis lignosis, fasciculatis, setulosis ; basidia 4-sterigma- 

 tibus ; spora3 ellipsoideas, hyalinae. 



Shiraia (near 3IattiroUa). Stromata carnosa-lignescentia, tuberi- 

 formia, dein rimosa ; peritbecia subglobosa, magna, stromata omnino 

 immersa, ostiolis baud prominulis ; asci cylindraceo-clavati, 8-spori, 

 parapbysati ; sporaa oblongo fusiformes, pluriseptatae, muriformes, hya- 

 lino-fuscidulaa. 



Coccoidea (Dothideacese). Stromata membranaceo-subcarbonacea, dis- 

 ciformi-pulvinata, superficialia, medio substipitato-affixa, atra ; peritbecia 

 immersa, globulosa, punctato-ostiolata ; asci 8-spori, parapbysati; sporaa 

 ellipsoidese, continme, hyalinae. 



Kusanoa (near Molleriella and CooJcelld). Stromata superficialia, intus 

 dense loculigera, loculis nionascis ; asci ovoidei, 8-spori, aparaphysati ; 

 sporas subolavata?, 3-septataB, colorata3. 



In a monograph of the North American species of Tylostomacese 

 (Gastromycetes) Y. S. White J describes several new species of Tylo- 

 stoma ■ also a new genus Didyocephalos, witb the following diagnosis: — 

 Plants with the irregularly rupturing peridium closely attached to tbe 

 solid stem; volva cup-like, persistent at the base of the stem; gleba 

 composed of a mesh-like irregular tissue, in whicb the capillitium 

 threads are imbedded. 



Formation of Spores in Taphrina.§ — S. Ikeno describes the mode 

 of formation of tbe ascospores witb in the ascus of Tapliriua Johansoni, 

 belonging to the Exoascaceas, wbich presents several peculiarities. 



A fusion of two nuclei takes place in tbe young ascus ; tbe resulting 

 body has at first the appearance of an ordinary nucleus, consisting of a 

 ground-substance, and a massive structure wbich the author regards as 

 a chromatin-body. On the inner side of the nuclear wall are cbromo- 

 some-like bodies or rods, probably fragments wbich have broken off from 

 tbe chromatin-body. As the young ascus increases in size, the nuclear 

 membrane is absorbed, and tbe ground-substance is taken up by tbe cyto- 

 plasm. The nucleus, wbich now consists of nothing but a chromatin- 

 body, breaks up, tbe fragments becoming dispersed through the cyto- 

 plasm, which has now become distinctly reticulate. The cytoplasm col- 

 lects round tbe fragments of chromatin ; and these balls of cytoplasm 



* Journ. de Bot. (Morot), xiv. (1900) p. 246. 



t Enter's Jahrb., xxviii. (1900) p. 259 et seq. See Bot. Centralbl., Ixxxvii. 

 (1901) p. 86. % Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, xxviii. (li'iil) p. 111. 



§ Flora, Ixxxviii. (1901) pp. 229-3t (1 pi.). 



