ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 205 



cysts, and spores. The stalk consists of several hyphte united throughout 

 their length. The cysts are sterile cells which become quickly turges- 

 cent in the presence of water ; they are situated at the tip of the stalk, 

 and are either elongate, ovate, or globose. Possibly the gelatinous con- 

 tents of the cysts help to attach the teleutospores to the plants on which 

 they alight. The spores are formed in a head of one-celled bodies, 

 which are borne above the cysts and equal or exceed them in number. 

 A membrane in many cases studded with spines or warts covers the whole- 

 head. Dietel divides the species into groups, according to the form of 

 the cysts and the number of the spores. Two of the species grow on 

 Euphorbiaceee, the others — 7S recorded up to the present time— grow on 

 Leguminosfe. They are only to be found in the warmer parts of the 

 world, both east and west. Those species only that grow on Mimosm 

 pass through the different life-stages of the Uredines. Some y^cidia 

 have been found on Acacm that probably belong to Ravenelia, but the 

 teleutospores have not been found. 



The author gives full diagnoses of the species, and various notes that 

 should prove instructive. 



American Species of Ravenelia.* — W. H. Long records and de- 

 scribes two new species of Ravenelia from Florida and Jamaica, with. 

 emendations and remarks on several Mexican and Texan species already 

 reported. The author also gives notes on the characters that are of 

 service in determining the species ; chief among these are the position 

 of the sori, the number and position of the germ-pores, and the 

 position and number of the cysts. He recommends mounting herbarium 

 specimens for microscopic examination in equal parts of alcohol and 

 glycerin. 



Notes on Lepiota.t— A. P. Morgan concludes his account of this 

 genus of Agarics, in all 90 species for North America. He sub- 

 divides these into 11 groups, and he has added descriptive synopses 

 of these. H. C. Beardslee travelled with C. CI. Lloyd in Sweden, and 

 he takes note of the Lepiotas they collected, and compares them with 

 the American species. L. naucina was very like the American L. 

 nancenoides, which differs from the European species in having ellip- 

 tical apiculate spores. The travellers examined L. naucina, and found 

 that it also had elliptical spores, and they conclude that the species are 

 probably identical. 



A New Hymenomycete : the so-called Isaria fuciformis.| — 

 D. McAlpine has thoroughly investigated the structure and fructifica- 

 tion of this fungus, and finds that it is a true Hymenomycete, pro- 

 ducing its basidia, sterigmata, and spores on the basal effused layer,. 

 and occasionally on the outstanding tufts. It is a parasite on grasses,. 

 and has done considerable damage in Australia, and to some extent 

 in this country. McAlpine notes that it occurs usually where the grass 

 is poor and unable to withstand attack. It is chiefly found on rye- 

 grass, but also occasionally on other grasses. It may also spread tO' 



* Journ. MycoL, xii. (1906) pp. 233-6. 



t Op. cit., xiii. (1907) pp. 1-18. 



X Ann. Mycol. iv. (1906) pp. 541-51 (2 pis.). 



