1000 SUMMARY OF CUERENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Gynandrous Vauclieria.*— Under the name Vaucheria orthocarpa Herr 

 P. F. Eeinsch describes a new species, distinguished (in addition to other 

 characters) by displaying gynandry. Besides the antheridium which springs 

 laterally from the base of the oogonium, the latter organ produces a second 

 antheridium at its apex, which developes precisely like a normal one. 

 Only partial impregnation appears to take place in these cases, and the 

 resulting oospore not to be capable of germination. 



Fresh-water Algse of New Zealand. f — Dr. 0. Nordstedt describes the 

 fresh-water algse (except diatoms) brought from the hot-lake district of 

 the Northern Island, New Zealand, and the Alps of the Southern Island — 

 305 species and 55 varieties. They present but few novel features, and 

 include 28 species of (Edogoniaceae, 8 of Chgetophorese, 1 of Chroolepidse, 

 17 of Confervacese, 1 of Ulvacese, 8 of Pediastrese, 4 of Protococcaceee, 9 of 

 Palmellaceas, 3 of Yolvocinese, 2 of Vaucheriacese, 5 of Siphonese, 1 of 

 MesocarpesB, 7 of Zygneme^, 152 of Desmidiese, 5 of Eivulariacese, 7 of 

 Sirosiphonacese, 7 of Nostocese, 10 of Oscillariese, 2 of Chamsesiphonaceas, 

 10 of Chroococcaceae. The new species include 1 of Aphanochsete, 1 of 

 Bhizoclonium, 1 of Desmidium, 1 of Hyaloiheca, 1 of Micrasterias, 5 of 

 Euastrum, 5 of Staurasirum, 4l of XantJiidium, 9 of Cosmarium, 2 of Triplo- 

 ceras, 1 of Closterium. 



Pores in Diatom-valves.| — Herr 0. E. Imhof claims to have detected, 

 in large species of Surirella and in one of Campylodiscus from the Cavloccio 

 lake in Upper Engadin, very fine canals in the wings, which open out at 

 the edges in minute ellij)tical openings, through which pass protoplasmic 

 filaments united into a continuous thread. These he regards as the true 

 motile organs of diatoms. 



Liclienes. 



Apothecia of Laehnea theleboloides. § — Sig. F. Morini describes the 

 development of the apothecia of this lichen, which resembles that of 

 Ascoholus furfuraceus. On the mycelium appears a short thick branch, 

 rich in granular protoplasm, which shows sj)iral curves to the extent of 

 2-2^ coils. At the free end of this branch is differentiated, by the forma- 

 tion of a septum, a terminal cell which soon assumes an ovate-spherical 

 form. This is the mother-cell of the asci. The spirally coiled cell is 

 segmented in the middle by a septum; the protoplasm passes out of the 

 two cells thus formed into the terminal cell, and the basal cell dies away. 

 At the base of the terminal cell now appears a conical thick- walled 

 prominence, which is preceded by the formation of a number of hyphal 

 branches, which have sprung from the mycelium, and have invested the 

 carpogonium. A dense ball is thus formed, in the centre of which the 

 carpogonium and terminal cell can scarcely be distinguished. These 

 investing hyphae form the principal mass of the apotheciiun, as well as the 

 subhymenial layer and paraphyses. From the terminal cell spring a 

 number of branches which terminate in asci. A number of the apothecia 

 always remain small in the form of parenchymatous balls in which no 

 carpogonium can be detected. Sig. Morini believes these to be the " spore- 

 bulbils " of authors. 



* Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., v. (1887) pp. 189-92 (1 pi.). 



+ Bot. Vereiu Lund, April 18, 1887. See Bot. Ceutralbl., sxxi. (1887) p. 321. 



X Biol. Centralbl., vi. (1887) p. 719. 

 , § Rend. R. Accad. Sci. Bologna, March 27, 1887. See Bot. Centralbl., xxxi. (1887) 

 p. 332. 



