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THE CONIDIA OF FISTULINA. 



By M. J. DE Seynes. 



[The work from which the following observations are trans- 

 lated appears to be too little known in this country, hence we have 

 selected M. de Seynes's remarks on the conidia which he finds in 

 Fistulina hepatica, as a means of introducing our readers to this 

 valuable work.*] 



One of the more curious points in the structure of Fistulina 

 hepatica is the formation of the conidia, developed, like the spores 

 of the Gasteromycetes, in the interior of the parenchym of the 

 receptacle. I have previously had occasion to mention this fact, 

 but I have since had the good fortune of following the advance- 

 ment of the Fistulina from its very young state up to the com- 

 plete development of the receptacle. I have had, therefore, much 

 to determine, and certain details to modify on this subject. In the 

 Fistulinas which have arrived at their complete development, one 

 can determine a region which occupies the subjacent part of the 

 superior surface of the pileus, and which, at the point which 

 corresponds to the superior extremity of the pedicel, and 

 which extends to a greater depth than the peripheric margin of 

 the pileus. If one makes a cut following the axis of the pileus 

 and of the pedicel, one can see that this region is enlarged both 

 before and behind, the pedicel being supposed to represent the 

 posterior part, which is in effect its natural position when one 

 regards a Fistulina fixed to its support ; and it reaches, in the part 

 where it is the more developed, up to more than a centimeter in 

 depth in the tissue of the receptacle. It is not prolonged up to the 

 margin of the pileus, but terminates always at 1, 2, or 3 centimeters 

 from this margin, and sometimes more ; so that one never finds 

 any conidia in the neighbourhood of the hymenophore tubes : the 

 external margin of the pileus marks, in fact, the limit between the 

 supero-lateral exterior region and the inferior or tubular region. 



If one dries with care some receptacles of Fistulina, without 

 breaking them before complete dessication, and then makes a cut 

 which includes the pileus and the pedicel passing by the middle of 

 both, one sees that the tissue is of a clear colour at the central 

 part ; whilst it is strongly coloured, if one makes the cut in the 

 fresh state and dries it afterwards. The region in question is 

 clearly distinguished by a reddish coloration, which marks the 

 limits of the more intense production of the conidia ; it is termi- 

 nated at the superior part by a blackish band about half a milli- 

 meter in thickness, which exists all round the cut, except at the 

 point where the hymenophore tubes are found. If one takes any 

 particle whatever of this zone, and places it under the microscope, 



* Recherches des Vegetaux inferieru's. Pte. 1. Des Fistulines. Par J. 

 de Seynes. 



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