145 



in a low wall of brown sandstone. Cystomium jalcatum, the holly 

 fern which I have mentioned several times in previous years, still 

 attracts attention with its shiny bright green fronds and exotic ap- 

 pearance. The alpine lady fern, Atheriuin alpestre var. americaniim, 

 collected on Mt. Rainier and sent to me several years ago, appears 

 perfectly happy in its new habitat and has increased to several good 

 sized clumps. Blechnmn spicant (Deer fern) has again developed 

 fertile fronds ; last year there were only sterile fronds on this 

 northwestern fern. The small "Mexican deer fern" which was sent 

 to me last year went through the winter without any protection 

 and is now larger than when it was received. 



The afternoon provided ideal weather conditions and those who 

 came remained until late afternoon sitting in the shade to discuss 

 ferns and partake of refreshments provided by Mrs. Dole. At- 

 tendance 9. W. Herbert Dole 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLUB 



Minutes of the Meeting of April 15, 1942 



The meeting was called to order at 3.30 p.m. by the second 

 vice-president. Dr. Chandler, in the Members' Room of the New 

 York Botanical Garden. Twenty-eight members and friends were 

 present. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were accepted as read. 



The first portion of the scientific program was an illustrated 

 report by Mr. Libero Ajello on a New Chytrid Genus, Polychy- 

 trium. The Speaker's abstract follows. 



Polychytriiim aggregatnm is a new, polycentric, saprophytic species of 

 the family Cladochytriaceae which occurs in the decaying vegetation of bogs 

 in the ridges of Bearfort Mountain, Passaic County, New Jersey. It has a 

 coarse, richly branched rhizomyceUum which becomes yellowish-brown at 

 maturity, and lacks spindle organs or intercalary enlargements. The sporangia 

 are smooth or tuberculate and produce spherical, posteriorly uniflagellate 

 zoospores which lack a conspicuous refractive globule but include a prominent 

 opaque lunate body. The sporangia dehisce by the deliquesence of the tip 

 of the exit tube or papilla. Dormant thick-walled resting spores have not 

 been observed, but the irregular tuberculate yellowish-brown sporangia are 

 strikingly similar to the resting spores of many Cladochytriaceous species. 

 However, they produce zoospores directly without going through a dormant 

 period. 



