Fang US of Lolium. 279 



Examination of siu-li material revealed funiral liypliae occupying 

 the lumen of the aleurone cells, from which densely stained Imdies 

 "were budded olf. Peklo l>elieved tliem to be aleurone grains. It 

 seems highly probable that the grains used for sectioning -were 

 mouldy, and that tlie aleurone gi-ains figured are in the process of 

 digestion. Ihis is accentuated l)y tlie fact that some grains were 

 found actually embedded in the hyphae themselves, and also by the 

 fact that Peklo suggests that the fungal threads found bear a 

 resemblance to tliose of Mucor Eouxianus (Amyloinyces Rou.rii), 

 although the actual identity of the two was not established. The 

 point of interest as far as tliis paper is concerned lies in the 

 fact that Peklo [irobably found the fungus in the aleurone cells of 

 young Lohitm tenndenium grains, and fi'om this isolated case he 

 attempted to generalise, stating that such was the oi-igin of the 

 layer for all cereals. 



The breadth of the hyphal layer found in the grain is dependent 

 on two factors — 



(a) The activity of the fungus, 



(b) The absorbing power of the endosperm. 



If the fungus is strong and luxuriant in its growth, and can keep 

 pace with the activity of the endosperm, a thick hyphal layer would 

 result, for even at maturity the endospei'm will not have used, as 

 food-material for itself, all the available hyphae. 



If, howeveJ", the growth of the mycelium is inclined to be weak, 

 the absorbing power of the endosperm will be greater than the 

 growing power of the fungus, and the result will be a very small 

 layer in the mature grain, or even perhaps the complete absence of 

 ■such a layer. 



In the earlier part of this paper (p. 256) I emphasised the fact 

 that absence of tlie fungus in hand-sections, or in any individual 

 microtome section could not be taken as evidence of the total absence 

 of the fungus in the grain. Tlie reason for this statement should 

 noAv he clear. The presence or absence of a definite layer in the 

 grain is dependent on the activity of the fungus, and the absorb- 

 ing power of the endosperm. Even if a grain does not exhibit a 

 ■definite layer, hyphae may still be present in the embryo in sufficient 

 amount to ensure the appearance of the fungus in quantity at the 

 desired stage in the development of tlie next generation of Lolivim. 



We are also in a position to discuss the significance of tlie dis- 

 tribution of the fungus in the grain. Freeman attributed it 

 mainlv to the result of the method of infection of the embryo, but I 



