INVERTEBRATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 671 



Triplostich^, Diplostichfc, and Haplostichae, characterized by the 

 stem having respectively three times, twice, and the same number of 

 cortical cells as branchlets in the whorls. Lychnothammia includes 

 only one, Tohjpella numbers three, and Nitella six British species. 



Fungi. 



Formation of Fat in Fungi.* — The fat formed in vegetable cells 

 is known to be of the nature of a secretion, and not a product of fer- 

 mentation ; it is found in quantity varying with the activity of the 

 growth and of the oxygen-respiration (? assimilation) of the plant. It 

 may probably originate from the splittiug-up of proteids in the cells 

 of Penicillium and other fungi. The relation of the formation of fat 

 to the nutrition of the i^Iant remains still altogether obscure. 



A recent scries of experiments by Nageli and Loew on Penicillium 

 has been directed chiefly to investigate the degree in which various 

 nutrient substances affect the formation of fat. These they arrange 

 in this respect in the following series, advancing from those less to 

 those more favourable : — (1) ammonium acetate ; (2) ammonium tar- 

 trate and succinate, and asparagine ; (3) leucine ; (4) peptone ; (5) 

 ammonium tartrate plus sugar ; (6) leucine plus sugar ; (7) peptone 

 plus sugar. 



Secretion from a Fungus-j — M. Eug. Fournier has observed on a 

 species of Polyporus ("i^robably P. cuticularis) growing on a plum-stem 

 in his garden at Auteuil, an acid viscid secretion, which begins to be 

 exuded daily as soon as the pileus is exposed to the full rays of the 

 sun, about 9 a.m., and continues through the day until and beyond 

 sunset. In 100 parts of the fluid were found to be contained, on 

 chemical analysis, 0-545 parts of organic matter, and '065 parts 

 mineral matter, in all 1-21 parts of residue. Of albuminoid sub- 

 stances coagulated by heat there were • 03 parts, and of glucose • 32 

 parts. The residue on calcination was strongly alkaline, and eflervesccd 

 with acids. It consisted of lime and potassa in combination with 

 sulpliuric, hydrochloric, and phosijhoric acids. 



Anthracnose of the Vine.| — This disease, known in France as 

 " briileur noir " and in Germany as " Brenner," and widely spread 

 through the south of Europe from Portugal to Greece, has been made 

 a subject of careful study by 11. Prillicux. He identifies it with tlie 

 various organisms described under the names of Spltacchmia ampdinum 

 by Do Bary, Itamularia ampclopliaga by Passerini, Phoma uvirula by 

 Arcangeli, and Gloiosporinm ampeluphnr/um by Saccardo, this lust pro- 

 duciii'^ tljc disease known in Italy as " vajuolo." 



The disease is indicated by very detinito characters : spots of a 

 dark brown colour, somewhat depressed in the centre. Tluse sjxtts 

 api)ear in great numbers on the young branches, tendrils, leaves, and 

 berries; they pouctrato and completely destroy the tissue in tho 

 places where thoy are developed ; they increase at their circumference, 



* 'Jnnrti. prnkt. Clam.,' xx. p. 97. See 'Journ. Chcni. Soc.,' Ab.slr. 

 xxxviii. (IHSO) p. H'M. 



t • Bull. Soc. Bot. France/ xxvi. (187:») p. 324 t Ibid., p. TOS. 



