264 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The ascospore of S. Vaccinii i^rocluces, on germination, a iilament 

 which perforates an epidermal cell of the host, and forms in the cambium 

 of the stem branched rows of toruloid conids, which separate from one 

 another in a singular way. When the constrictions have become con- 

 siderably developed there is formed in the dividing- wall between two 

 adjacent partially iormed conids what appears to be a pore, through 

 which is pushed out of the protoplasmic contents of each cell a cone- 

 shaped mass of cellulose ; these meet in the middle, and unite into a 

 body which M. Woronin terms a " disjunctor." Finally the conids 

 remain joined to one another only by a very slender fusiform con- 

 nection, a conical mass of cellulose remaining attached to each end of 

 the conids and giving them a lemon-shaped form. The fruit appears in 

 the spring, but is comparatively rare ; the asci contain eight spores, 

 of which four are slightly smaller than the other four ; the lower part 

 of the ascus contains epiplasm or glycogen. 



Sclerotinia Oxijcocci is distinguished by its smaller conids, and by 

 four out of the eight ascospores being always much smaller and sterile ; 

 and the same is the case in S. haccarum. The conids of S. megalospora 

 attack exclusively the leaves of Vaccinium uUginosum, and the sclerote is 

 more simple in structure than in the other species. The eight ascospores 

 are all of the same size and fertile. In these species the conids are 

 also separated by " disjunctors," which are, however, smaller than in 

 S. Vaccinii. 



Similar sclerotes, the structure of which has not, however, been 

 accurately examined, are found also on the fruit of the bird-cherry, and 

 on that of species of Alnus and Betula. 



Development of Corynites Curtissii.* — Mr. J. F. James describes 

 the development of Corynites Curtissii B. The first figure shows the 

 outer wall surrounding a mass of greyish glairy matter, in the centre of 

 which is a white column, surmounted by a two-lobed mass of dark brown 

 or blackish matter. A little later the stipe begins to be plainly manifest. 

 Little pits represent what develope finally into openings ; the second 

 layer represents the inner wall of the peridium, while a dark mass of 

 matter at the top, gradually diminishing in size, eventually forms the 

 glebe and contains the spores. The mature fungus is bright pink, full 

 of small holes, surmounted by the glebe, and springing from the ruptured 

 sac which previously inclosed it. 



New Parasitic Fungi. t — M. F. Cavara describes several new species 

 of parasitic fungi which attack cultivated plants. Dendrophoma Marconi 

 n. sp. belongs to the section Eudendrophoma of the genus Dendrophoma, 

 and attacks the stems of the cultivated hemp. Pseudo-peziza Trifolii 

 (Bern.) Fck. has been observed this year on Medicago sativa ; while 

 another new spheropsid, Phleospora Trifolii, has been found on the leaves 

 of Trifolium repens. Bofrytis parasitica n. sp. has been found on the 

 culivated tulips in the Botanic Garden at Pa via, and the author describes 

 a new gentis Basiaschum, with a neAV species B. Eriobothryse, which he 

 has found attacking the leaves of Eriohothrya japonica Lind. Pleno- 

 domus Olese n. sp., belongiug to the section liyalosporse of Plenodomus 

 Preus., has been found on the fruit of the olive, and Pestalozzia BanJcsi- 

 ana n. sp. on the lower part of the leaves of BanTisia rohur. 



* Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, xv. (1888) pp. 314-5 (1 pi.), 

 t Kev. Mycol., x. ;iS88)ijp. 205-7. 



