COHN, ON VOLVOX GLABATOR. 149 



Gasteromycetes ; 2, goniangia, to which woxild appear to 

 belong the cystocarps of the Floridese and the conceptacles of 

 the pi'opagula {Scyphi) of the Hepaticce {Marchantia, Blasia) ; 

 and 3, spermatangia, including the spermogonia (Talasne) of 

 the Lichens and Fungi, and the antheridia of Ferns, Equi- 

 setaceae, Mosses, Hepaticse, and Characese. The term sporo- 

 corpium, lastly, should be reserved for organs distinct from 

 the vegetative parts in which the sporangia themselves are 

 inclosed, and which occur in the family of the Rhizocarpese. 

 These organs are commonly termed " receptacles,^^ or " con- 

 ceptacles," under wliicli term, indeed, widely different spo- 

 rangiophorous organs are included, e. g., the peculiar leaves 

 bearing sporangia externally in Equisetum [sporophylla, 

 Schleiden, sporidochia, Link, carpopliora, Bisch), to which 

 may be added the fertile fronds of the Ophioglosseae and of 

 some Ferns ; and besides these, the peltate inflorescence (to 

 use such a term) of the Marchantia, as well as the altered 

 parts of the thallus, containing associated sporangia, in the 

 Fucacese {carponiata, Kiitz), to which the stromata of the 

 Pyrenomycetes are in some respects analogous. 



These introductory observations are succeeded by the de- 

 scription of several new or less known genera, viz., Codiolum, 

 Hydrocytiwn, Characium, Sciadimn, Ophiocytium, Hydro- 

 dictyon, and Pedtastrum (subdivided into four sub-genera), 

 illustrated with numerous figui'es. 



CoHN on VoLVOX GLOBATOR. 



In a paper recently read before the Academy of Sciences 

 in Paris, Professor Cohn states that his own observations on 

 the Volvocinese have convinced him that the members of tliat 

 family must be regarded as belonging to the vegetable 

 kingdom, and that the Volvox globator, in particular, is 

 properly placed among the Algse. In this singular plant, as 

 well as in Eudorina, Gonium, Stephanosphara, and other Vol- 

 vocinese, each spherule is, properly speaking, not so much an 

 indi\idual as an association or family of individuals, — a sort 

 of vegetable polypary. The globe of Volvox is formed at its 

 periphery of an infinitude of very minute hexagonal cells, 

 attached to each other in the same way as are the elements 

 of an epidermic tissue. Each of the cells is furnished with 



