396 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
trys variabilis als Reprasentant einer neuen Myxomyceten 
Ordnung,” he gives an account of a singular plant, at least very 
like Chondromyces crocatus of my former paper, the characters of 
which are in his opinion so similar to those of the Mycetozoa 
that he does not hesitate to place the organism in question near 
Ceratiomyxa among the ‘“Exosporeae.” The vegetative mass 
of Myxobotrys is held to be a true plasmodium which is said to 
ingest its food like the plasmodium of a myxomycete, and in a 
similar fashion rids itself ot all foreign matters before rising to 
form its fructification; the gelatinous matrix about the rods 
being looked upon as hyaloplasm ; while the rod-like structures 
are described as ‘“‘microsomata’”’ imbedded in it. It is further 
stated that, as the plasmodium rises to fructify, the microsomata 
suddenly disappear and are replaced by numerous long cylin- 
drical filaments, and that these same filaments fill the “spores” 
at maturity, winding about in their interior. 
In a more recent “Notiz zu meiner Mittheilung tuber 
Myxobotrys variabilis’’ Dr. Zukal calls attention to the identity 
of this species with Chondromyces crocatus, making further sug- 
gestions as to its probable synonymy which will be mentioned 
below. He further remarks that, strange as it may appeal, 
the present writer’s view as to the schizomycetous nature of this 
organism is worthy serious consideration, although he further 
asserts his own disbelief in the truth of this assumption, as well 
as his adherence to the opinion expressed in his first papers 
namely, that the organism in question belongs not to the 
bacteria, but to the Mycetozoa. In view of the striking and 
important differences which would seem to distinguish Myxo- 
botrys, as described by Dr. Zukal, from any member of the 
_ Myxobacteriacee with which I am familiar, it is perhaps OF — 
altogether safe to assume its identity with Chondromyces crocalls, 
although the two appear to approach so closely in general habit. 
If, however, we assume this identity and admit for the moment 
_ the correctness of Zukal’s observations, it must be confessed 
ee 
: ‘that his interpretation of the development described by him ao 
: quite as remarkabl e as the facts themselves. A true pa : 
