562 8UMMAEY OF CUEKENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



which the algal cells gradually develope into the gonids of the lichen. 

 All the phases of development, from the germination of the spores to 

 the formation of a thallus identical with that found in nature, were 

 studied in detail. 



New development of Ephelis.* — Dr. M. C. Cooke and Mr. G. 

 Massee describe a new development of Ephelis which was discovered on 

 Panicum palmifolium. As in other cases of proved dimorphism, the 

 stylosporous form and the ascigerous form are still retained separately 

 under their respective genera ; so in this case the authors describe the 

 new Ephelis under the name E. trinitensis ; and other specimens were 

 found on the same host, which carried the history forward much further. 

 Instead of the discoid cup-like receptacles exhibited by Ephelis, each of 

 them was transformed, or was in the course of a transformation, into a 

 basin-shaped capitulum of 1 to 1^ mm. diameter, raised upon a peduncle 

 two or three times its length ; the transformation being brought about 

 by the replacing of the concave surface of the cups by a convex one, and 

 the subsequent elevation of this surface on a stalk. In the authors' 

 opinion there is very little doubt that this fungus must be referred to 

 the genus Balansia, and they describe a new species under the name of 

 B. trinitensis. The difference between this species and Balansia 

 claviceps Speg. are then pointed out, and the paper concludes with some 

 remarks on the morphology of Ephelis. 



Disease of Chestiiut-trees.| — M. C. Eoumeguere describes a disease 

 which has caused great ravages among the chestnut-trees in Aveyron, 

 Var, Dordogne, and Haute-Vienne. It is caused by the fungus Phyllo- 

 sticta maculiformis, and was described by Prof. Saccardo in 1881. 

 Phyllosticta always developes on the under side of the leaf, and forms 

 small groups of black peritheces ; these peritheces dehisce by a pore, and 

 at maturity emit cylindrical sporules which are distributed far and 

 wide by the wind, and germinate in the spring of the following year. 

 Phyllosticta is supposed to be one of the forms of the well-known Sphseria 

 maculiformis. 



Life-history of Macrosporium parasiticum.f — Mr. Kingo Miyabe 

 describes the life-history of Macrosporium parasiticum Thiim., the 

 material being found on onion-plants in Bermuda. 



The following is a recapitulation of the principal results obtained : — 

 (1) The ascosporous stage of M. parasiticum is the common Pleospora 

 herharum (Pers.) Rabenh. (2) M. parasiticum is identical with M. 

 Sarcinula Berk. (3) Pleospora herharum is decidedly a facultative 

 parasite. (4) There are only two stages in the development-cycle of P. 

 herharum, the ascosporous and the Sarcinula stage. (5) The presence of 

 pycnids in P. herharum is very doubtful, and they may have entirely 

 disappeared from its cycle of development. (6) No Alternaria-iovm. 

 belongs to P. herharum. (7) The formation of the perithece is purely 

 non-sexual. (8) No Woronin's hyphse or similar spiral processes are 

 found in the peritheces before the formation of asci and paraphyses. 

 The asci and paraphyses are produced from the same short chains of 

 parenchymatous cells, which are formed by elongation and division of 

 tbe pre-existing cellular groups of parenchymatous nature filled with 



* Ann. of Bot., iii. (1889) pp. 33-9 (1 pi.), t Rev. Mycol., si. (1889) pp. 34-5. 

 X Ann. of Bot., iii. (1889) pp. 1-24 (2 pis.). 



