202 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [Marcu 
concerning nuclear conditions in this cell nor in the hyphae to which 
it gives rise, and makes no mention either of the presence or absence 
of an antheridium. Moreover, in the single other species which he 
studied, L. chlorocephala, he finds no indication of the presence of 
sexual organs, and states merely that the ascogenous hyphae have 
their origin in the stipe. 
- CarrutHers (14) discusses in some detail the cytology of 
Helvella crispa, placing particular emphasis on the nuclear divisions 
in the ascus. He states definitely that sexual organs are absent 
in this species, and describes apogamous nuclear fusions in undiffer- 
entiated hyphae of the hypothecium. Although in the summary 
of his paper he states that the cells containing the fusion nuclei 
_ give rise to the ascogenous hyphae, this important point is not 
mentioned in the discussion of his results and no figures are given 
demonstrating it. He states further that ‘there is evidence that 
mitoses in the vegetative and ascogenous hyphae show respectively 
2 and 4 chromosomes,” and says that the third nuclear division in 
the ascus is brachymeiotic, there being 4 chromosomes in the 
prophase, while only 2 pass to the poles. 
Dirrricu (24) states that in Mitrula phalloides the ascogenous 
hyphae arise near the center of the fruit-body from a complex 
of closely massed, elongated, deeply staining filaments character- 
ized by the possession of large nuclei with prominent nucleoli. 
He finds no sexual organs, and does not describe an approximation 
or fusion of nuclei in the hypothecium. 
McCussin (53) states that in Helvella elastica “‘no structure 
having the conventional form of an ascogonium”’ is found, and says 
that the ascogenous hyphae “arise as a clearly differentiated sub- 
hymenial complex of filaments.” However, he describes at con- 
siderable length large cellular bodies which occur irregularly 
throughout the whole of the ascocarp except the stem. He regards 
these as vegetative in function and calls them storage bodies. 
In the earliest stages in the development of the fruit-body they 
are absent, but they appear relatively early. They are large, 
attaining in some cases 20-30 times the diameter of the surrounding 
hyphae, are filled with deeply staining protoplasm, and exhibit 
remarkable variation in shape. They sometimes form a chain 
