1899] BRIEFER ARTICLES 137 
three. This observation has been confirmed in other species of Lolium, 
to wit, Z perenne L., L. arvense With. (var. of LZ. temulentum), L. lini- 
cola Sond. It is only exceptionally that the first of these contains the 
parasite. The rest are infected to the same degree as L. ¢emulentum. 
When one observes that the species reported poisonous are the very 
ones in which we have found the parasite, it seems reasonable to ask 
whether the temulin of Hofmeister is not a result of the action of the 
fungus upon the nitrogenous materials in the peripheral region of the 
seed. 
This fungus, of whose nature we are not yet satisfied, may not in 
any case be identified with the Exdoconidium temulentum of Prillieux 
and Delacroix. The latter attacks the seeds of rye which it clearly 
deforms, the infected grains becoming smaller and lighter than the 
hormal ones. The grains of the darnel show no such deformation. 
Further, in the rye grains thus attacked, and called “ setg/e enivrant,” 
the protecting layer has generally disappeared, and all the external 
part of the endosperm has been invaded by the parasite. In the dar- 
ve the endosperm suffers no alteration from the action of the fungus, 
— layer itself remaining perfectly intact. Since our obser- 
ee were made the same mycelial layer has been noted by Hanausek 
nd Nestler? and before them by Vogl.3 
— Tesults are practically alike. However, the other authors have 
. bed the fungus for Z. semulentum alone.—P. GuEkrIn, Préparateur 
Ecole Supé 
rieure de Pharmacie de Paris. 
2 1 iy : 
- Berichte der deutschen botanische Gesellschaft @:-. pl. De ash 0 ai 
> Die wichti 
Wichtigsten vegetablischen Nahrungs- und Genussmittel. 1898. 
