442 Miscellaneous. 



drical body as a coutinuation of its bearer. This basidiiforra siip- 

 porter likewise grows, aud a transverse septum is produced also in 

 it, which is sometimes followed in the lower part by a second. This 

 is a behaviour not yet observed iu the true basidia (the seed mother 

 cells) of the Hymenomyceta?, unless the Tremellacese be excepted ; 

 but in these, again, the seeds have a totally different position, and 

 indeed it still remains to be proved that they are truly seeds — that 

 is to say, that these Tremcllaceae are truly fruits of Hymenomyceta^. 

 This development of septa in the gonidia is not all, however ; 

 when they are left to their quiet and undisturbed development, new 

 pedicles are 23roduccd at the summit of the uppermost daughter 

 cells of each of these four gonidia ; and in these, again, a daughter 

 cell is formed, which grows into a cylindrical gonidium, resembling 

 the original gonidium, but more regularly elongated. These four 

 gonidia of the second order usually soon apply themselves to each 

 other again, and lengthen the column formed by their supporter. 

 From the summit of these secondary gonidia (gonidium mother 

 cells), similar gonidia then again sj^rout forth, which behave in the 

 same way, often subsequently, before germination and whUst still 

 connected with the parent organism, become chambered, but not un- 

 frequently remain simple, aud in many cases do not lay themselves 

 together ; so that the chain-like connexion of each series may be 

 easily recognized. The development is not, however, completed by 

 the formation of this simple chain upon the original basidium, biit 

 there is not unfrcquently produced from the inferior gonidia, close 

 to the primary links of the chain, and either soon after their com- 

 plete development, or even before it, a second similar generation of 

 gonidia; so that each of these series of gonidia represents a branched, 

 and not a simple chain. 



If ^^■ith this phenomenon, which is just as unprecedented in ihe 

 seeds of the Hynienomyceta) as it is generally known in the goni- 

 dial forms, we consider the camcration of the so-called basidia and 

 the development of the entire plant beneath the epidermis of the 

 living plant on which it subsists, without the recognition of anj' 

 mother cell of the hymenium, such as I have demonstrated iu the case 

 of Canofjonhim, and such as likewise exists, so far as I know, in the 

 jEcidiaceai, Hymenomyceta}, and Ascomycetae, these developmental 

 phenomena certainly furnish no proof that this parasite belongs to 

 the EasidiomycetOD ; but still less do they characterize tliis develop- 

 mental stage (which has been called E.vobifsidiinn as the fruit and 

 its gonidia) as the seeds of aHymenomycetan. It cannot, therefore, 

 be referred to the Easidiomyceta! unconditionally until furtlior in- 

 vestigations have shown that it (probably as a gonidial form) really 

 beloTigs to a Easidiomycetan. The same doubt, Avith regard to the 

 signification of tlu^ known organs of reproduction, which I liave 

 here raised in the case of Exohaaidiinn, applies also to Tajihrtua, F. 

 Tul. {E.voriscas, Fuckel), which has, c(>rtainly with justice, been de- 

 scribed by Woronin as a developmental stage analogous to K.robctsi- 

 dlinu. ]k)th are to bo regarded for the jiresent as gonidial stages, 

 and ])hiccd among the Coniomycctae. — CoDwinnlcated hij the Aidlior. 



