704 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



differences are found in the structure of the haustorium in Erysiphe 

 grarninis, parasitic on Poa pratensis, in which it is much branched ; in 

 Uncinula Salicis on Salix discolor ; and in species of Phyllactinia, para- 

 sitic on Xanthoxylon. 



Proteolysis in Aspergillus niger.* — Dr. G. Malfitano has continued 

 his researches on the diastase produced by this fungus, which he now 

 calls a protease. He calls attention to the remarkable resemblance 

 between its properties and those of papayin and of the proteolytic enzyme 

 of malt. It acts on gelatin, on the nucleo-albumins, on globulins, and 

 on albuminates; but has no action on albumin itself; the white of 

 egg is never digested by it. This property distinguishes the protease 

 of Aspergillus from pepsin ; from papayin it differs only in a greater 

 sensitiveness to the injurious action of the alkaline phosphates. It is 

 very distinct from pancreatin, which acts in the presence of alkaline 

 phosphates, and which does not attack coagulated albumin. 



Hydrolysation of Raffinose by Penicillium glaucum. f — As the 

 result of a long series of experiments, H. Gillot states that, in a mineral 

 acid solution, Penicillium glaucum secretes a zymase capable of inverting 

 raffinose. This is shown by an increase in the acidity of the culture- 

 medium due to the production of oxalic and succinic acids. In a pure 

 2 per cent, solution of raffinose the Penicillium also induces inversion. 

 When the fungus has reached a certain degree of development, the 

 alkalinisation of the medium does not prevent the secretion of the 

 inverting zymase ; it becomes gradually less alkaline, and finally acid, 

 from the production of the acids named. Of the alkalies employed — 

 soda, potassa, and ammonia — soda is the least injurious to the fungus. 



New Parasite of Amoebse.J — In addition to Nucleophaga, M. P. A. 

 Dangeard finds, on a species of Amoeba, a different parasite, an aquatic 

 filamentous fungus, the systematic position of which it is at present 

 difficult to determine. He calls it provisionally Bhizoblepharis Amoebae 

 sp. n. 



Parasitic Fungi. — Mr. J. C. Arthur § identifies the following recidial 

 and teleutospore forms of Uredinere : — Puccinia Convolvuli and JEcidium 

 Galystegise ; P. Phragrnitis jm& 2E. rubellum; P. americana and 2E. 

 Pentstemonis ; P. Windsorise and IE, Ptelese ; P. Vilfse and 2E. verbeni- 

 cola ; P. peridermiospora and 2E. Fraxini ; P. Garicis and 2E. TJrticse ; 

 P. angustata and £2. Lycopi ; JJromyces Euplwrbise and M. Euphorbias ; 

 Phragmidium speciosum and Cseoma miniata ; Triphragmium Ulmarise 

 and G. Ulmarise. 



Under the name Gordyceps Dovei sp. n., Mr. L. Eodway || describes 

 a new species of this genus, parasitic on a Coleopterous larva in 

 Tasmania. 



A new parasitic fungus, Gylindrospormm Komarowi, belonging to the 

 Melanconiese, has been found by Herr A. v. Jaczewski,1[ on Polygonatum 

 humile, in Manchuria. 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiv. (1900) pp. 420-48. Cf. this Journal, ante, p. 494. 



t Bull. Acad. r. Belgique (CI. d. Sciences), 1900, pp. 99-127. 



j Le Botaniste (Dangeard) vii. (1900) pp. 85-7. Cf. this Journal, 1896, p. 446. 



§ Bot. Gazette, xxix. (1900) pp. 268-76. 



|| Proc. B. Soc. Tasmania, 1898-99 (1900) pp. 100-2 (1 pi.). 



\ Hedwigia, xxxix. (1900) Beibl., p. 81 (1 fig.). 



