THE AGUE PLANT. 143 



The root, or wh.it seems to serve as such, is, in length, about six 

 times the diameter of the plant. The trunk of the root soon puts 

 forth a number of branches which seem to terminate in points, the 

 latter becoming bulbous when soaked, as in glycerine. The root 

 is white ami translucent ; not smooth, but having an appearance as 

 if the surface were covered with granules. It is hollow, the fluid 

 sometimes seen within giving the shaft the appearance of a glass 

 tube containing water. It seems continuous with, and similar in 

 structure to, the white wall membrane ; or rather, this mem- 

 brane appears to be an expansion of the root material. Dr. Saf- 

 ford regards the cavity of the root and body as continuous; he 

 thinks lie has seen the green cells of the wall within the hollow of 

 the root. I have never observed such an appearance. The green 

 cells of the globe wall were often seen floating upon, under, 

 and about the root, and massing together in its branches. In such 

 specimens, however, it has been easy to recognize the fact that 

 these cells have been washed from the body of the plant — the spot 

 on the globe from which they have been removed being readily 

 detected by the bald appearance of the denuded white membrane. 



The plant varies greatly in size ; perhaps the average diameter 

 of the mature globe would measure ■£§ of an inch. They are, of 

 course, occasionally so small as not to be detected without a lens; 

 the largest specimens measure T ] ¥ of an inch. The cellular char- 

 acter of the green w 7 all may be detected by a good lens, this coat 

 appearing granular under such a power. 



HERBARIUM MYCOLOGICUM .ECONOMICUM. 



The third fasciculus of this publication contains, amongst other 

 fungi, the following interesting species : — Puccinia straminis, Fckl., 

 placed side by side with the Puccinia graminis of Persoon. An 

 interesting species of Tillitia ; T. Icevis, Kiihn, for a full description 

 of which see " Hedwigia," No. 10, 1873, p. 152-3, where we learn 

 that Herr J. Kiihn first detected this species in a sample of wheat 

 from Lower Silesia ; since 18G7 he has cultivated it in the Botanic 

 Garden at Hiille, and has been successful in reproducing it (by 

 direct infection) upon numerous varieties of wheat. Ustilago cra- 

 mori, Kornicke, on Setaria Italica, Depazea beta>cola, D.C., on B. 

 cicla, D. brassiccccola, D. prunicola, Op., on Prunus domestica, and 

 D. rubicola, D.C., on the red currant. Uromy<-es phaseolorum, Tub, 

 Puccinia endivicB, Pass., P. alii, Cast., Uromyces trigonell&j Pa--.. 

 on Fcenumgnrcuui officinale, Peronospora Schachtii, Fckl., on Beta 

 vulgaris, Sclerotium rhizodes, Awd., on Poa pratensis, Uredo pisi, 

 D.C., Exoascus deformans, Pass., on Peach leaves, Asteroma viai- 

 perda, Shm., on vine leaves, smaller branches, and grapes, Clados- 

 porium fumago, Link., on gooseberry, hazel, and birch leaves, 



