— 57 - 



First, cultures of Funaria spores were supplied with ~, ^5 

 and ~ gram molecule Solutions of grape sugar and placed 

 in darkness. An examination after three days showed that 

 in the first two dilutions, none of the spores had germinated, 

 while in the ^ gram molecule Solution they had germinated 

 the same as in light under ordinaiy conditions; and also 

 with the usual increase in size, and with the accumulation 

 of starch. The spores of Bryum pendulum also germinated 

 in a Solution of the same dilution, but those of Brachythecium 

 required a still stronger Solution, only germinating in the 

 dark when they were supplied with ^ gram molecule. The 

 maximum concentration at which germination can occur is 

 not so important but results were obtained in this line for 

 a single species. Cultures of Funaria spores were supplied 

 with 5, 10 and 20°/ Solutions of grape sugar. The first two 

 concentrations allowed germination in both darkness and 

 light, but in the 20% Solution the spores germinated neither 

 in light nor darkness. In the 5 and lÜ°/ Solutions, the pro- 

 tonema which were formed in the light were perfectly color- 

 less and without Chlorophyll. 



The great difficulty of obtaining perfectly sterile cultures 

 of moss protonema upon an organic substratum will at once 

 be evident to all who have ever worked in this line. Goebel l 

 was unable to obtain perfectly sterile cultures in bis inve- 

 stigations upon Funaria hygrometrica. If perfectly sterile 

 cultures could be obtained, it would be possible then to de- 

 termine whether moss protonema are able to thrive in the 

 dark, when supplied with organic material as sugar and 

 peptone. This was the problem which now presented itself 

 for Solution and to which my attention was next directed. 

 A considerable number of attempts were made and at last 

 my efforts met with success. The details of the experiments 

 I will describe in the order in which they were carried out. 



1 Goebel, Sitzber. d. mat.-pbys. Classe d. k. Bayer. Akad. d. Wiss. 

 26:462. 1897. 



