590 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



S a c c a e d o — Micromycetes Americani novi. (New American Micromycetes.) 



[One new genus, Bonanseja, akin to Stictophacidium, is in- 

 cluded in the list.] Joum. Mycol., xii. (1906) pp. 47-52. 



Schorstein, Josef — Sporenkeimung in Somatoselb'sung. (Germination of 

 spores in somatose solution.) 



[Spores of Morcliella and of Xylaria polymorplia were successfully germi- 

 nated.] Ann. Mycol., iv. (1906) pp. 295-6 (2 figs.). 



Wehmer, C. — Zur Oxalsaurebildung durch Aspergillus niger. (The production 

 of oxalic acid by Aspergillus niger.) Centralbl. Bakt., xv. (1906) pp. 688-90- 



Will, H., & H. Wanderschek — Beitrage zur Frage der Schwefelwasser- 

 stoffbildung durch Hefe. (Contributions to the question of the formation of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen by yeasts.) Op. cit., xvi. (1906) pp. 303-9. 



Lichens. 

 (By. A. Lorrain Smith.) 



French Lichens.* — Abbe Harinand has issued the second fasciculus 

 of his work, which comprises the Sphasrophorege and the Caliciea3. He 

 retains Sphinctrina as a genus of Lichens parasitic on the thallus of 

 Pertusaria, etc., and the parasitic forms of Calicium he also includes as 

 true Lichens. He describes one new species, Calicium Carthusia, which 

 grows on bark. 



Cladonia rangiferina and CI. bacillaris.f — -Max Britzelmayer has 

 taken up these two species of Lichens, and compared the different 

 authorities on their systematic value. Opinions and diagnoses vary, but 

 he himself recognises both CI. rangiferina and CI. sylvatica, and he gives 

 a long list of forms he has found for each species. He insists also that 

 CI. alpestris should be recognised as a species, and not as a form of 

 either of those discussed. Britzelmayer also considers CI. bacillaris to be 

 an autonomous species, and not a variety of CI. macilenta, and he describes 

 for it a variety of forms, but says the two species are indistinguishable 

 without the help of the reaction with potash. CI. bacillaris gives no 

 reaction. 



Dye-stuffs in Lichens.^ — P. Ronceray has published an important 

 memoir on this subject. He gives an historical account of the use of the 

 dyes, enumerates the lichens in which these are found, and which of 

 them are of commercial importance. The dye is composed of lecanorin 

 acid, erythrine, and orcine, and the author gives directions for the 

 extraction and preparation of these substances. He discusses also their 

 probable origin in the lichen ; orcine, he finds, is formed by the fungus, 

 and possibly transformed by the alga into crystalline products ; it is 

 probably an excretion product. The biological conditions that result in 

 the formation of these substances are also discussed. 



* Lichens de France, Catalogue systematique et descriptif, Coniocarpes, 1905, 

 pp. 161-205 (1 pi.). See also Bot. Centralbl., ci. (1906) pp. 649-50. 

 t Beih. Bot. Centralbl., xx. (1906) pp. 140-50. 

 J Paris, 1904, 95 pp. (3 pis. and figs.). See also Bot. Centralbl., cii. (1906) p. 67. 



