ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. -ill 



Fungi. 

 (By A. LoBRAiN Smith, F.L.S.) 



British Phycomycetes.* — J. Ramsbottom has published a series of 

 papers dealing with this group of fungi. He gives a synoptic list, in 

 which he includes Mycetozoa, Phytomyxinefe, and Phycomycetes with 

 their genera, and a fourth list of species in the genera of the latter. In 

 a second paper he discusses the various debatable genera and species in 

 regard to their history and nomenclature, and in a further contribution 

 to the subject he publishes notes on the history of their classification, 

 and places on record a series of observations by early students of the 

 Microscope, struggling with imperfect powers and the many new facts 

 disclosed to them by their magnifying glasses. The various systems of 

 classification up to the present day are also set forth and commented on. 



Observations on Hyalospora Polypodii.t— E. T. Bartholomew has 

 studied the life-history of this fern-rust from fresh material both in 

 the field and in the greenhouse. The sori seemed to differ according to the 

 condition of the weather ; they were coloured pale grey in cloudy weather, 

 but soon became a bright orange when the sun appeared. The mycelium 

 in the host-tissue formed a loose mat of hyphse, the cells of which were 

 binucleate. The spores are borne on short stalks, and are of two kinds, 

 thin-walled and thick-walled. The author discusses the theories as to 

 the meaning of these diJGferences in the spores. 



Uredinese.l — ^J- C. Arthur, in a fourteenth report, gives the result of 

 his cultures of plant-rusts during the year 1915. He collected many 

 specimens of Puccinia seymouriana on Spartina, but failed to induce 

 growth in the spores or to obtain infection. He was unable to account 

 for this absence of viability. A number of successful cultures were 

 obtained with other species. Puccinia extensicola taken from DuMchium 

 aruniUnaceicm developed pycnidia and ^ecidia on SoUdago, but failed to 

 infect Aster ; P. Grossnlarise collected on Garex tenuis formed pycnidia 

 and tecidia somewhat sluggishly on Ribes cynoshati ; P. Eriopliori, a new 

 record for America, was found on Senecio aureus, and the transfer to 

 Eriophorum viricli-carinatum was successfully made ; P. Argopyri pro 

 duced fecidia on Thalictrum, though not on other Ranunculace^ 

 Successful cultures were also made with P. Asperifolii, P. subnitens, 

 and P. Windsorise. 



These results all confirm work previously done. In addition, a series 

 of cultures are reported for the first time : Puccinia tumidipes, which 

 formed teleutospores on Lycium pallidum, and produced uredospores and 

 pycnidia on L. vulgare. Puccinia Distichlidis, P. Montanensis, and 



* Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc, v. 2 (1916) pp. 318-50. 



t Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, xliii. (1916) pp. 195-9 (3 figs.). 



X Mycologia, viii. (1916) pp. 125-41. 



2 F 2 



