53G THE NATUEAL HISTOEY EEVIEW. 



XLVII. — The Physiology of the Sph^eiaceje. 



BeITEAGE ZUE A]!TAT0MIE UND PhYSIOLOGIE dee SPHiEEIACEES', 



vou August Sollmann. Botauische Zeitung, August 26, 1864. 



Vol. XXII. p. 265 and 271. 

 Uebee die Entwickelui^g DEE Pettctieicationsoegane YOS" 



Nectria, von Alexis Janowitscli. Bot. Zeit. May 12, 1865. 



Vol. XXIII. p. 149. 

 In a report contained in a former number of tliis Eeview, (Jan. 

 1865), on the sexuality of tlie lower Cryptogamia, we noticed sliortlj 

 the conclusions drawn by M. Sollmann, from the observations detailed 

 by him in the paper cited above. The subject has since been treated 

 by Professor Janowitscli, in the Journal above mentioned, and as 

 his opinions are directly at variance with those of M. Sollmann, we 

 have thought it worth while to state the contents of M. Sollmann's 

 paper more in detail, and to give the contradictory views of M. 

 Janowitsch, by way of supplement to our former report. 



M:* Sollmann states, that he has observed the process of fructifi- 

 cation in four species of Nectria ; viz. N. Lamyi De Not., N. cucur- 

 hitula Tod, N. coccinea P., and N. cylindrospora Sollm, and perhaps 

 in a fifth, N. inaurata B. and Br. The phenomena being the same in 

 all, he considers it necessary only to go into details with regard to 

 the first species. ^ 



In this the stroma is formed by the growing together of the 

 terminal threads of the mycelium, and the perithecia are produced 

 at the surface of the stroma. The walls of the perithecia consist of 

 three different layers, called by the author the outermost layer 

 (ausserste Schicht)., the transition layer (JJebergang's-scMclit), and the 

 fertile layer {Frulctijications-scliicht). In observing the process of 

 fructification, it is necessary, in order to avoid deception, to select 

 for examination, only those perithecia which have not opened. 

 Perithecia of different ages, although agreeing externally in appear- 

 ance, exhibit essential differences in the fructifying layer, and three 

 forms are particularly noticeable. 



A. The form with asci. This (Avhich is the form of the oldest 

 perithecia), exhibits numerous asci attached to the wall of the peri- 

 thecium, from its base to some distance upwards. The upper part 

 of the perithecium produces pendant threads^ and similar threads are 

 visible as paraphyses in the lower portion. The youngest asci are 

 small, almost cylindrical, and filled with a transparent fluid plasma. 

 More advanced asci are club-shaped, and contain a vast number of 



