ON THE FORMATION OF THE SPORES IN LICHENS 
AND FUNGI. 
The following interesting observations are translated from M. 
Edouard Strasburger’s elaborate work, “ Sur la formation et la 
division des Cellules,” 1876. 
According to the recent observations of M. Janczewski on 
Ascoholiis furfuraceas {Bot. Zeitnng, 1871, p. 258; Ann. cl. Sc. 
Nat., 5 s., tom. 15, p. 199), the young claviform ascus of this 
Discomycetes is filled with a protoplasm which strongly refracts 
the light, and of which the upper part is entirely destitute of 
vacuoles; it encloses a nucleus ’{noyau) slightly refractive, in the 
interior of which is a nucleolus [nucleole). Before the formation 
of the spores, the ascus elongates itself, then at a given moment 
the nucleus disappears, and suddenly the eight spores appear alto- 
gether. These spores commence by being small sy)herical masses 
of protoplasm slightly refractive, in the middle of which is a 
nucleus {noyau) provided with a nucleolus; these have not as yet 
a membrane, and in this state ammonia disorganizes them entirely. 
Later, when they have become of an oval form, they become 
covered with a membrane, which is at first very thin, and which 
iodine colours blue, as well as the membrane of the ascus, whilst 
the protoplasm of the spores and that which has not been used up 
in their formation, takes a yellow tint. This coloration does not 
continue thus ; the protoplasm of the ascus placed around the 
spores exhibits gradually the reaction which characterises epiplasm, 
and becomes of a beautiful violet or a red-brown by the solution 
of iodine. 
Although I have not verified these observations, still I concur 
in their accuracy, having myself observed the same phenomena in 
other plants. 
According to the conjoint opinions of M. de Bary and M. Dippel, 
in certain Discomycetes, especially in the Peziz£e, as soon as the 
si)ores are produced, as I have said, there are formed in the ascus 
two smaller nuclei, instead of one primitive nucleus. In a more 
advanced state we see four nuclei, then eight, always of the same 
structure, but varying in size according to numbers. These last 
eight nuclei are placed at equal distances from each other, and 
eventually each of them is surrounded with a round mass of proto- 
23lasm, more transparent than the surrounding protoplasm, and 
limited by a very delicate outline. These masses of protoplasm, 
which arise simultaneously, are the first beginnings of spores, 
which speedily develop their cellular membranes, and increase in 
the interior of the asci, until they become doubled in size. In 
Feziza intya the protoplasm, which at first surrounds them, is 
coloured yellow by iodine, like their interior jn'otoplasm, and dis- 
appears rapidly during their growth. The protoplasm which sur- 
rounds the spores of P. conjiaens takes, on the contrary, the 
characters of epiplasm. 
