[Proc. Eoy. Soc. Victoria, 32 (N.S.), Pt. 11., 1920J. 

 Art. XVII I. — TJie Eiulophytic Fungus of Lolhiin, Part L. 



BY 



ETHEL McLennan, b.sc, 



(Lecturer on Botany in the Melbourne University.) 



(With Plates XVI II. to XXVI. and 8 Text Figures.) 



[Read Dec. 11 tb, 1019.] 



Historical Introduction. 



llie fact, that grains of Lol/u/n ttinulentvm, L. (Darnel) con- 

 tain a layer of fungal liyphae, situated between the aleurone layer 

 and the fruit and seed coat, was demonstrated by Vogl (1) in 1898. 

 In tlie same year Guerin (2), Hanausek (o), and Nestler (-1). pub- 

 lished jDapers dealing with this subject. 



These earlier workers drew attention to the fact that the presence 

 of the fungus in tlie grain is a fairly constant feature. Guerin 

 examined samples of l.oJiuin tcinuhuit inn from South America, 

 Asia, Africa, and Europe, and recorded that only three showed the 

 absence of hyphae. He failed to note their presence in the embryo, 

 although they were observed in the ovary before tlie fertilisation 

 of the ovum. Loliinn arrense. With., and Loliiu/i Jiinrolum. 

 Sond., were also found to ))e fungal-containing, l>ut he reported 

 only one cxamide of LoJimu pcrciiiie, L., witli the fungus. He sug- 

 gested that the presence of tlie fungus in the Darnel grains is 

 pipbaljly an example of symliiosis rather tliaii one of actual para- 

 sitism. 



Hanausek's results confii'med those of Guerin, and, in addition, 

 he noted tlie presence of the hpyhae in the nucellus of the young 

 ovary, where, he stated, it produced knots. This fact, he suggested, 

 indicates a possible athnity of the fungus in (luestion with the- 

 U><f ihu/i iieae. 



Hanausek never examined a Dai-nel grain witliout finding hyphae 

 in the usual position, but all samples of L. peremie, L. examined 

 showed the al>sence of liyphae. 



Nestler working along the same lines traced the distribution of 

 the fungus in the seedling, and in the growing plant right up to 

 the formation of the grain. He, in addition, tried to cultivate the- 

 fungus in artificial media with negative results. Only a few 

 grains were found to be devoid of the fungus. He examined several 



