496 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
divisions in the ascus follow the same routine as described by Miss FRASER 
in Humaria rutilans. The first mitosis is heterotypic, the second homotypic, 
and the third brachymeiotic, leading to a reduction without division in the 
last mitosis. The spores are formed by the astral rays in the manner described 
by Harper for Pyronema.—H. HassELBRING. 
A parasitic orchid.—According to the investigation of Kusano,“ the vege- 
tative body of the orchid Castrodia elata consists of a tuberous rhizome which 
multiplies through the production of tuberous offshoots. If these offshoots 
form no mycorhiza, they decrease in size and finally die without being able to 
flower, but if infected by the mycelium of Armillaria mellea they enlarge, 
flower, and produce daughter tubercles; it is therefore concluded that the 
orchid is completely parasitic upon the fungus. The mycorhiza is of the ecto- 
tropic type; occasionally, however, the fungus behaves as a parasite, pene- 
trating deeply into the tissue of the tubers and causing their collapse in a 
manner similar to that seen in potato tubers attacked by the same organism.— 
EO. D. FULLER. 
Budding in Cycas.—While in Japan, Miss Stopes*7 noted the origin of the 
well known adventitious buds of Cycas revoluta. They arise on the upper 
portions of old leaf bases, some appearing more than 200 crowns back of the 
growing point. None were found arising from the axis, and the young 
buds do not seem to have any connection with the axis. The buds 
when removed grow into normal plants, but when they develop strongly 
upon the parent plant they give rise to the so-called “branching,” and in such 
cases, of course, vascular connections are established with the main axis.— 
CHARLES J. CHAMBERLAIN 
Kusano, S., Preliminary note on Gastrodia elata and its mycorhiza. Ann. 
Botany 25:521-523. IgIt. 
47 Stopes, Marte C., Adventitious budding and branching in Cycas revolute. 
New Phytol. 9: 234-241. figs. 7. 1910. 
