LEVINE: CyTOLOGY OF HYMENOMYCETES 141 
parts, by transverse or vertical walls, as in the Protobasidio- 
mycetes. In the last case the egg neither divides nor becomes. 
elongated but produces sporidia on sterigmata. 
In Tremella Genistae, Dacryomyces chrysocomus, D. deliquescens, 
and Polyporus annosus, Istvanffi (1895) claims that there is no 
nuclear fusion in the basidium. He further observed that there 
are two generations of spores formed on the basidia of Dacryomyces 
chrysocomus and D. deliquescens. On this point he has been con- 
firmed by both Juel and Maire, while Dangeard holds that in these 
forms the secondary nucleus divides only once and only one 
generation of spores is formed. Istvanffi also describes the 
formation of two generations of spores from the basidia of Hyd- 
nangium carneum. He also found uninucleated oidia and chlamy- 
dospores in Nyctalis asterophora, Psathyra spadiceo-grisea, Stro- 
pharia melasperma, Galera tenera, and Collybia tuberosa, which 
would suggest the existence of a fairly long gametophytic stage, 
which is capable of reproducing itself asexually in these forms. 
In Merulius fugax he finds that the mycelium is not septate. 
Juel (1898) points out that Brefeld’s distinction between 
Protobasidiomycetes and Autobasidiomycetes is supported by 
cytological evidence since the long axis of the primary spindle 
is either regularly parallel or perpendicular to the long axis of the 
basidium in the two groups. My own observations as described 
below do not show any such constancy in the position of the spindle 
in the basidium of the Boleti. Juel finds from six to eight chromo- 
somes, which vary in size, in the basidia of Auricularia mesenterica, 
and Exidia truncata. 
Maire (1902), while he emphasizes the existence of an alternation 
of generations in the Basidiomycetes, makes no contribution to the 
solution of the question as to the point of origin of the sporophyte. 
He claims that the cells of the stipe and pileus become multi- 
nucleated (table, p. 164) by amitotic division. He found, however, 
that the young mycelium of Coprinus radiatus has uninucleated, 
cells and produces uninucleated oidia. He shows clearly that 
the nuclear fusion in the basidium is not a true fecundation and 
proposes to call it a ‘“‘mixie,” pointing out that the morphological 
equivalent of sexual cell fusion must come at the origin of the 
binucleated condition. 
