284 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



reduced Ancyliste^, the reduction being displayed in the disappearance of 

 the antheridial fertilizing tube on the one hand, and in the reduction, on 

 the other hand, of the oogonium to an oosphere, as seen in Olpidiopsis 

 Schenhiana. In other Olpidieae the reduction may be carried out still 

 further to apogamy, or the entire suppression of the antheridia, as possibly 

 in 0. Saprolegnise. 



Fungi parasitic on Coniferae.* — Dr. E. Eostrup describes a number 

 of fungi parasitic on different species of conifers in various parts of 

 Denmark. 



In one district a peculiar disease was noticed onPinus excelsa, due to the 

 attacks of Nectria cucurbitida on the lower part of the stem ; the blood-red 

 sporangia forming a perfect ring round the stem. 



Pinus halsamea was in many places attacked by ThelepJiora laciniaia, 

 forming great balls. 



In one district various species of pine (but not P. austriaca) were badly 

 attacked by Cseoma pint lor quiim. This had been communicated from an 

 aspen on which Melavipsora pinitorqimm was sti'ongly developed. 



The author was able to determine, by direct observation, that Lopho- 

 dermiuni Pinastri is the cause of the disease of Pinus austriaca. The ends 

 of the branches lose their colour from the attacks of the mycelium, which 

 then penetrates into the leaves, and ramifies through the whole tree. 



New Genus of Chytridineae.t — M. P. A. Dangeard has observed a 

 parasite endogenous in several Rhizopods and Flagellata, which he regards 

 as the type of a new genus of Chytridinefe, and calls Sphserita endogena. 

 It first makes its appearance in the form of single vesicles of hyaline proto- 

 plasm within the body of the host, a portion of the surface being finely 

 granular. Gradually the protoplasm becomes denser and finely punctated, 

 and finally breaks up into a number of zoospores with a mulberry-like 

 appearance. 



The author considers that the theory of the reproduction of the 

 Flagellata by division of the nucleus, first advanced by Stein, and adopted 

 by Carter and Saville-Kent, rests on an erroneous interpretation of the ap- 

 pearance presented by the germs of parasitic Chytridinese ; and that the 

 so-called endogenous germs described in a large number of species of 

 EuglenefB may all be referred to Sphsei-ita endogena. 



In a second paper J M. Dangeard describes a new species of Chytridium, 

 C. lielioformis, parasitic on a Nitella, and which he succeeded in cultivating 

 also on Chara polyacantha and on a Vaucheria. The cysts of this species 

 develope like sporangia, and there is no trace of any sexual reproduction. 

 Cienkowski's Bhizidium Confervse-glomeraiee is regarded by Dangeard as a 

 Chytridium. 



Structure of Entyloina.§ — Prof. H. Marshall Ward has investigated the 

 structure and life-history of Entyloma Banunculi, a parasitic fungus belong- 

 ing to the Ustilaginese, found on Ranunculus Ficaria. He found the resting- 

 spores and conidia on the same mycelium. The process of germination of 

 the spores was followed out, which had not previously been done in the 

 case of any Entyloma. The germinal hyphse enter the stomata of the host, 

 and produce between the cells of the mesophyll a mycelium on which are 

 borne the resting-spores, thus placing beyond doubt the connection between 

 the two kinds of spore. 



* In Danish, 1885. See Bot. Centralbl., xxviii. (1886) p. 105. 



t Bull. Soc. Bot. France, viii. (1886) pp. 240-2. J Ibid., pp. 357-8. 



§ Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond., xli. (1886) p. 318. 



