Murrill: Luminescence in the Fungi 
133 
coloring matter or the mature spores held in suspension would 
possess photogenic properties. 
At 1 :30 p. m., the entire collection of hymenophores was taken 
from the herbarium to the dark room without removing them 
from the original basket, and no trace of light was observed 
during a period of 7 minutes. A piece of wood was then dis- 
covered in which the mycelium was evidently fresh and active, 
and this showed beautiful luminescence in a few seconds. On 
breaking this wood into pieces, the interior was even more lu- 
minous. Hymenophores were then broken apart and the mycelial 
cords at the base of the stipe exposed, with only negative results. 
At 7 :30 p. m., specimens taken from the herbarium to my home 
were tested in a dark closet in the presence of five people and in 
iY2 minutes the under surfaces of all the hymenophores were seen 
to glow conspicuously, while the upper surfaces remained dark. 
Water had no efifect ; dissolving out the coloring matter had no 
effect ; and the colored liquid obtained was not luminous. 
On August 22, at 8 a. m., I tried hymenophores of the same 
collection in the dark room at the Garden for 8^2 minutes with 
entirely negative results, while wood containing the active my- 
celium was seen to glow distinctly within a minute or less. At 
9 a. m., the specimens taken home the previous afternoon were 
examined in a dark closet and appeared luminous after 10 to 15 
minutes. Pieces of wood containing the mycelium were found 
to glow promptly after lying in the herbarium all day. 
At 9 p. m., the hymenophores at my home were again tested and 
luminosity was observed in i or 2 minutes. These specimens 
had been examined at 9 a. m. on the same day and during the 
evening of the previous day, lying meanwhile on a table in the 
living room. 
On August 23, at 9:30 a. m., the wood containing mycelium, 
which had been lying on my desk in the herbarium, was found to 
be dry and no longer capable of luminescence. The observations 
were then discontinued. 
New York Botanical Garden. 
