JAPANESE BOTANICAL LITERATURE, 



Kusano, S., Preliminary notes on the chcmotais of the 



swarm-spores of Myxomyeetes. (Bot. Mag. Tokyo, Vol. 



XX. Feb. 1906, p. 23-27) (Japanese). 



Of about twenty species of Myxomyeetes examined, only 



three namely Althalium septicum, Stemonitis fusca and Coma- 



tricha longa were found to germinate easily in water, and they 



were used for the study. The ripe spores germinate in water 



kept at about 20° C for a few hours, and the swarm-spores 



seem to be alive for over a week. Using Pfeffp:r's capillary 



method the following results were obtained : 



1. Acids attract the swarm-spores. Of about twenty organ- 

 ic and inorganic acids experimented, all gave the chemotactic 

 stimulus to the swarm-spores. The stimulus varies according 

 to the degree of electric dissociation of the acids. Very slightly 

 dissociated acids like boric acid and hydrocyanic acid show very 

 little attraction. When the degree of dissociation is about the 

 same, the attraction of dibasic acid is stronger than that of 

 monobasic acid : e. g. sulphuric acid attracts more than nitric 

 or hydrochloric acid in the same degree of concentration. 



2. Acid-salts or such salts which are acidic in solution due 

 to hydrolytic dissociation cause the positive chemotactic loco- 

 motion of the swarm-spores. 



3. Swarm-spores are also attracted towards the acidic juice 

 of various fruits. 



4. They are indifferent towards various carbohydrates and 

 neutral non-metallic salts of organic or inorganic acids. 



5. Alkaline solutions cause negative chemotactic reactions. 

 The author concludes that the chemotactic attraction is due 



to the II-ion present in the solution. 



K. MlYAKK. 



