159 



TRANSLATIONS. 



The Zoospores of Chroolepus, Ag* 



The first of the plants to which the observations refer is 

 Chroolepus aureum, Spr. var. tomentosum, Kg. Under the 

 microscope, the plant is seen to be formed of erect threads, 

 intermixed with branched threads, each consisting of a single 

 row of cells. The walls are colourless, but with a glittering 

 appearance. (PL IX, fig. 1, s.) The apical cell of the threads 

 often has a globular or pulvinate appendage, of a highly re- 

 fractive nature, furnished with transverse wrinkles, and fre- 

 quently also with a protuberance at the top. (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 

 6, 7, 8, 9, g.) The whole cavity of the cells is filled with 

 granular matter, mostly of a brownish -red colour; but it fre- 

 quently happens that the inner granules only are brownish 

 red, whilst the outer ones are green. (Figs. 3, 16, 17, 18.) 

 The reddish-brown granules seem to be oil-drops. Iodine 

 seems to turn them to a dirty blue. From the effect of dif- 

 ferent reagents, the author considers the cell-wall to be 

 formed of an amylaceous cellulose ; the wrinkled apex, on 

 the other hand, of some different substance, probably gela- 

 tine. A great number of the threads terminate with a 

 globular, much-thickened cell, which subsequently becomes 

 the mother-cell of the zoospores. (Fig. 3, m.) This mother- 

 cell is rarely found in the middle of the threads. (Fig. 4, m.) 

 Occasionally, but still more rarely, the cell immediately 

 under the mother-cell elongates itself sideways and upwards 

 into a thread. (Fig. 14.) The mother-cell of the zoospores, 

 when it forms the terminal cell of the thread, bears a conical 

 mass of gelatine, often of considerable size (figs. 5, 7, 9, g,), 

 which, however, is seldom on the crown of the cell, but usu- 

 ally at its side. (Figs. 3, 5, 7, 9.) In those mother-cells in 



* Condensed from the German of Dr. Caspary, in the ' lleeeiibbunj. 

 Flora/ for September 28, 1858, by F. Currey, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S. 



