62 F. J. Kutzing on the [July 



Article VIIL 



Observations on the Formation and Changes of the inferior 

 orders of Plants. By F. J. Kutzing.* 



The nature of the lowest species of plants is a subject of 

 interest. M. Kutzing, from many observations which he 

 has made upon them, has drawn some important results. 

 Distilled water remained stationary for six months, with- 

 out shewing any appearance of green matter on its surface. 

 Water which had been distilled over plants presented a 

 different aspect. 



In some of them a mucus began to shew itself in the 

 course of eight days ; in rose water in about two weeks. 

 First the mucus is deposited, and the characteristic odour 

 of the water disappears. Hence, this mucilage would 

 appear to be formed at the expense of the essential oil. 

 No filaments or globules can be discovered at this stage ; 

 but if the water is less exposed to the direct influence of 

 the sun, they appear at first colourless in the mucous mass, 

 and then the different forms of Hygrocrocis and Leptomitus 

 shew themselves. This constitutes the second step ; the 

 light of the sun determining whether Protococcus or Hygro- 

 crocis shall be developed. The lowest state of these globules 

 is well exhibited in the genus established by Kutzing, of 

 Cryptococcus which is inferior to Protococcus ; for in the for- 

 mer the organic mucus is only observed in the form of minute 

 globules, while in the latter, they are larger and possess 

 colour with a more solid texture. The third step is the 

 formation of filaments, by the union or elongation of the 

 colourless globules, giving origin to Hygrocrocis or Lepto- 

 mitus. The L plumula is an advanced state of Cryptococcus. 

 The latter is formed in moist windows. Kutzing has ob- 

 served the formation of an Oscillatoria which he calls /ewes- 

 tralis, over a stratum of Cryptococcus, which previously 

 became a Palmella. If we term the transformation of 

 Cryptococcus into Hygrocrocis and Leptomitus a direct pro- 

 gressive step, we may call that of Cryptococcus into Palmella 

 and Protococcus, latterally progressive. 



* Ann. des Scien. Nat. II. 129. 



