2S6 BOTAXICAL GAZETTE [april 



use. The writer's determination of the fungus was confirmed 

 independently by E. J. Durand and F. J. Seaver, and his thanks 

 are due both of these gentlemen. 



The young apothecia collected for the study of the develop- 

 ment of the fruit body were immediately placed in medium strength 



They were carried into paraffin, and 



m 



chromo-acetic acid fixer. They were carried into 

 were studied in serial sections of 4-7 jx thickness, 

 was stained chiefly with Heidenhain's iron alum-haematoxylin, no 

 counter stain being used. For certain of the more mature stages 

 the shortened Flemming's triple stain proved more useful. The 

 material was sectioned and stained in the laboratories of the 

 Brooklyn Botanic Garden in the summer of 1915, while the writer 

 held a visiting fellowship at that institution. He wishes to take 

 this opportunity to express his appreciation of the courtesy of 

 Director C. S. Gager in extending to him the facilities of the 

 laboratories, and to acknowledge his indebtedness to Dr. E. W. 

 Olive for many kindnesses, including several helpful suggestions 

 concerning technique. The investigation was carried to comple- 

 tion in the laboratories of the Department of Plant Pathology at 

 Cornell University. 



The mature fruit body. — The mature apothecia exhibit great 

 variation in size and shape. Considerable irregularity of contour 

 is characteristic, and the early fusion of several fruit bodies results at 

 maturity in large unsymmetrical structures. The apothecia shown 

 natural size in fig. 1 illustrate well the extent of variation. The 

 two fruit bodies in the lower left hand corner of the figure were 



inverted to reveal the clusters of ropelike rhizoids which give to 

 the genus its name. The fruiting surface varies from a rich 

 chestnut to a dark brown, and when moistened is peculiarly sticky 

 and glutinous. Around the margin of the apothecium a sterile 

 zone is indicated by a narrow, white, encircling band which con- 

 trasts sharply with the brown hymenium. This white margin is 

 very evident in all stages. In the youngest fruit bodies the 

 entire surface is white, the brown fruiting layer later making its 

 appearance at the center and increasing rapidly in extent. The 

 smaller of the fruit bodies pictured in fig. 1 show this condition 

 clearly. 



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