664 SUMMARY OF ODBBBNT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



From this investigation it will be seen that the spores of Pero- 

 nospora infestans may be dried up in an atmosphere and preserved as 

 dust for tho space of eight months without the loss of their vitality, 

 and will germinato again when favourable circumstances arc offered 

 for their development. 



Formation of Lignin in Fungi.* — According to Dr. C. 0. Harz, 

 the statements hitherto made with respect to true lignification in 

 Fungi rest on erroneous observation. Experiments on a large number 

 of species with anilin sulphate and with phloroglucin and hydro- 

 chloric acid, failed to detect any lignin reaction. The hard cortical 

 shell of Elaphomyces, on the contrary, with its projecting knobs and 

 warts, is stained yellow by the former, bright red by the latter 

 reagent, thus showing an instance of true lignification in a fungus. 



In addition to his previous detection of lignin in Elapliomyces 

 cervinus, Dr. C. O. Harz f now finds it in the sclerenchymatous 

 fibres of the capillitium of several species of Bovista, as determined 

 by phloroglucin and hydrochloric acid. The lignin of these fungi 

 appears to be more readily soluble in potash and soda than that of 

 the higher plants. In a large number of fungi examined no trace of 

 it could be found. 



Fungi which cause decay in timber.:}:— Mr. P. H.Dudley finds that 

 the fungus most destructive to railway sleepers, planks, and bridge- 

 timbers made of yellow or Georgia pine (Pinus palustris) is Lentinus 

 lepidens. The mycelium secretes fluids possessing acid reactions, 

 which readily soften the thin-walled tracheides, causing their dissolu- 

 tion, and producing abundance of crystals of oxalate or phosphate of 

 lime, or sometimes carbonate. As soon as the tracheides are softened 

 by the action of this fungus, larva) perforate and consume them, 

 leaving the harder thick-walled cells in the condition of a series of 

 shells. Abundance of Schizomycetes were found in connection 

 with it. 



Fungus-bulbils. § — Herr H. Zukal has observed the bulbils already 

 described by Eidam || in five fungi, viz. Dendryphium hulbiferum 

 n. sp., Helicosporangium coprophilum n. sp., Haplotriclmm roseum Lk.> 

 Melanospora fimicola Hans., and a Peziza. From these bulbils only 

 conidial forms are, as a rule, developed. In two cases, however, the 

 bulbils were transformed into fructifications, and Zukal therefore 

 regards them morphologically as these organs in an undeveloped 

 condition. In the fructification of some Ascomycetes the bulbil-forms 

 may occur as a normal stage of development. The so-called sclerotia 

 of Penicillium glaucum are probably modified bulbils. 



* SB. Bot. Verein. Munchen. May 13, 1885. See Bot. Ceutralbl., xxiii. (1SS5), 

 p. 371. 



t SB. Bot. Verein Munchen, Jan. 13, 1886. See Bot. Ceutralbl., xxv. (1886) 

 p. 386. 



% Journ. N. York Micr. Soc, ii. (1886) pp. 36-7. 



§ Verhandl. K. K. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. Wien,xxxvi. (1886) pp. 123-36 (1 pL> 



|| See this Journal, iv. (1884) p. 421. 



