ON THE CULTIVATION OP MYCETOZOA FROM SPORES 5 



F. caudiciflora (by which it is also called in Solander's MSS.) as 

 " a kind of very indifferent fig, growing from the stalk of a tree." 



Explanation of Plate 417. — Ficus ParMiuoni : — Principal figure, reduced 

 one half. Fig. 1. Frustum of a leaf, under side, natural size. 2. A male flower 

 with adpressed bract and perianth, enlarged ten diameters. 3. The same, with 

 the bract and perianth spread, enlarged about ten diameters. 4. A female 

 flower, enlarged about ten diameters. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF MYCETOZOA FKOM SPORES. 

 By Arthur Lister, F.R.S. 



In some notes on Mycetozoa published in this Journal for 1899 

 (pp. 145-152), I referred to the unusually large clusters of the 

 spores of Badhamia utriciilaris Berk, observed in gatherings in 

 the autumn of 1898 both in Epping Forest and at Lyme Regis. 

 Cultivations from plasmodium found associated with the sporangia 

 produced varying results ; in some cultures the spores were in large 

 clusters, in others they were in the usual small groups of seven 

 to ten. 



Attempts had been made in former years to complete the whole 

 cycle of development from spore to sporangium in Badhamia utricu- 

 laris, but without success. Although the cultures above referred 

 to proved that the size of the clusters of spores in this species is an 

 inconstant character, it was desirable to have the point confirmed 

 by a cultivation directly from the spores, and having now abundant 

 material at hand another attempt was made. 



On January 10th, 1899, spores, in large clusters of from sixteen 

 to twenty-four, were sown in four watch-glasses in filtered rain 

 water, and supplied with thin slices of scalded Stereum hirsutaui 

 preserved in a moist atmosphere under a bell-jar. On Jan. 12th 

 no spores had germinated ; the preparations were allowed to dry, 

 and were rewetted on Jan. 14th. On Jan. 15th a large proportion 

 of the spores had hatched ; they were again exposed to the air and 

 allowed to dry and, after rewetting, swarm-cells appeared in great 

 numbers. On Jan. 19th all the swarm-cells had taken the form of 

 microcysts, and in one of the cultures paramaecia had entered, and 

 were rapidly devouring the microcysts. The contents of this watch- 

 glass were therefore cleared away, and a fresh sowing was put down 

 of large-clustered spores from the same source as before. Leaving 

 for the present the history of the preparations in the other three 

 watch-glasses, I will follow that of the fresh culture, which was the 

 only one that yielded satisfactory results. But here it may be 

 interesting to note that the process of drying and rewetting appears 

 to have a distinctly stimulating influence in producing the germi- 

 nation of spores, and in restoring microcysts to the active condition. 

 Without attempting to offer an explanation, it is a matter of ex- 

 perience in numerous cultivations of Didymium di forme Daby from 



