198 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MARCH 
or more small densely staining nuclei. These are frequently arranged 
in pairs (figs. 3, 4). Often one finds a pair separated by a septum, 
a condition of affairs similar to this being described by STOPPEL 
(21) for Eremascus jertilis. Metachromosomes such as CLAUSSEN 
(7) describes for Boudiera are also found here. Two or more are 
visible lying parallel to the cross walls of the thread, and appear to 
be more conspicuous near the end of a filament than in its older parts. 
THE ascomMa.—Here and there a specially vigorous growth of the 
mycelium produces knots or clumps (the fruiting bodies), the cells 
of which are shorter, thicker, and more branched than those of the 
surrounding filaments. The earliest stages of the fruiting bodies 
procured were about o.5™™ in diameter. At this stage the young 
- Helvella consists of a short thick stem spreading out insensibly into 
the mycelial growth of the substratum, and surmounted by a round 
bulbous cap of slightly larger diameter than the stem (fig. 6). There — 
is at this period no indication of fertile filaments. A membrane and 
a palisade layer inclose the whole fruiting body, but the palisade 
hyphae are not yet well differentiated. In stage 2 (diam. 1™™, fig. 7) 
storage cells appear, the palisade layer shows more regularity, while 
the membrane has been much broken by the rapid growth. Stage 
3 (diam. 1.25™™, fig. 8) shows the beginning of paraphyses on the 
site of the hymenium, an increased number of the storage organs, 
and the presence of a few ascogenous hyphae. The membrane is 
now represented merely by a few flakes. The hymenium does not 
grow rapidly at first, however, being outstripped in this respect by 
the stem and sterile part of the cap. As a result the hymenial surface 
may assume a flat or even concave shape, as shown in stage 4 (figs. 
9, 66). Here the membrane has almost disappeared, only a few 
degenerate threads or masses of cells being distinguishable. The 
paraphyses are now numerous and the ascogenous hyphae are 
beginning to branch or even to form hooks. In fig. zo the fruiting 
body has assumed the characteristic saddle shape of the Helvellas. 
There has been from stage 4 a rapid enlargement of the hymenial 
surface, which takes place, however, as Drrtricu has pointed qut, 
with considerable irregularity, thus accounting for the peculiar 
shape of the adult ascoma. 
THE PALISADE LAYER.—Surrounding the entire fructification 
