218 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ MARCH 
which may be called the trichophoric apparatus. When the trichogyne is 
multicellular the point where the antherozoid fuses may be far removed from 
the carpogeniccell. The form of carposporic reproduction is therefore of a type 
similar to that of many genera of Rhodophycez (Callithanmion, Spermotham- 
through several cells before it reaches the carpogenic cell. It should be 
said that the cells of the trichogyne communicate with one another by 
strands of protoplasm, a fact also true of the cells of all other parts of these 
fungi and an interesting point of resemblance to the Rhodophycee. There is 
therefore open protoplasmic communication from the tips of the trichogyne to 
e carpogenic cell. 
However, it should be noted that this fact by no means solves the prob- 
lem of how fertilization is accomplished. Accepting the everywhere preva- 
lent view that fertilization consists in the fusion of two sexual nuclei, we 
must imagine the nucleus of the antherozoid to pass the length of the 
trichogyne from cell to cell, finally fusing with the female. nucleus of the 
carpogenic cell. Sucha phenomenon, the writer believes, is entirely unknown 
in the plant or animal kingdom, and it is extremely difficult to conceive the 
mechanism by which a sex nucleus could pass through a series of nucleated 
cells. The high degree of specialization of the sexual organs indicates, how- 
ever, that sexuality is in an advanced state of differentiation in these forms. 
The discovery of such a remarkable sex process in the Laboulbeniacee is 
an important contribution to the rapidly accumulating mass of evidence 
ea sexuality to be present among the ascomycetes. The observations 
are of —— interest in connection with Stahl’s discovery of a trichogyne 
nCollema. Nev ess it is manifest that we are far from a solution of 
the problems panecuied by the carposporic type of reproduction in the 
ascomycetes, although it is equally plain that the difficulties are not to be 
swept aside by a denial of sexuality after the fashion of Brefeld and his fol- 
lowers.—B. M. D. 
MINOR NOTICES. 
THE EXAMINATION of a set of Lichenes Boreali-Americani, now having 
reached 140 , numbers, shows that the authors, Clara E. Cummings, Thos. A. 
Williams, and A. B. Seymour, are distributing material of the highest quality 
and from widely different localities. The first set, known as Decades of North — 
American Lichens, and containing 210 nurabers, was begun in 1892. In 1894 
the second set, known as Lichenes Boreali-Americani, was begun. It is to be 
hoped that the extensive distribution of these authentic sets will stimulate the 
study of a group to which too few botanists are giving serious attention. No 
a > mee eee poe 
effort to send consecutively et: os eee made since Tucker- 
