114 Journal of the Mitchell Society [Augnst 



iotheca is not the same and indicates no closer relationship than in 

 different groups of Achlya. In its sexual reproduction the present 

 species resembles Achlya megasperma in the size and structure of the 

 oogonia, eggs and antheridia, but differs in usually having coiled 

 oogonial stalks and androgynous antheridia. 



The sporangia of T. achlyoides usually begin to appear about 36 

 hours after inoculation and if the food supply is ample they continue 

 to be formed for two weeks or not rarely longer. The following ob- 

 servation was made on a culture March 24 on a small 'piece of lima 

 bean in sterile well water. When examined March 27th many spor- 

 angia were discharging spores. On April 17th there were many 

 empty sporangia with spores and empty cysts spread out on the bot- 

 tom of the dish ; no sporangia were seen emptying at this time though 

 watched for fifteen minutes ; a good many sporangia were apparently 

 in a resting condition, a few w^ith tips broken off and others without 

 broken tips. Fresh water was added and the spores in the sporangia 

 with broken tips began to emerge shortly ; the other sporangia also 

 soon discharging their spores as usual. These observations have been 

 repeated several times with similar results. 



The oogonia, as has been mentioned above, have been formed rarely 

 in our cultures and then occurred on pieces of boiled corn grain in 

 sterile well water about two weeks after inoculation. Various media 

 have been employed to induce the formation of sexual organs, includ- 

 ing 0.05% haemoglobin plus a trace of levulose; equal parts of 0.05% 

 haemoglobin and 0.05% leucin; equal parts 0.05% leucin and 0.05% 

 levulose; and 0.1% levulose; but all without success. 



Chapel Hill, N. C. 



Explanation of Plate 8 



Fig. 1. A sporangium with swollen apex just before breaking. 



Fig. 2. Sporangium just after the apical swelling has cracked on one side. 



Fig. 3. Sporangium after complete separation of the tip area with its included 

 spores. A second swelling is shown that will lead to the expulsion of 

 the next lower group of spores. 



Fig. 5. Sporangium about half emptied. 



Figs. 4, 6. Sporangia at the end of their activity, but shown, as always, with 

 some loosely arranged spores still included. Most of these have left 

 their cysts and escaped by swimming through the apex. Fig. 4 shows 

 the same sporangium as fig. 3, and fig. 6 the same as fig. 5. 



Fig. 7. Spores emerging from their angular cysts; one spore has taken its final 

 shape and shows the cilia. 



