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]\Iycologia 
more reasonable to say that the branching of the central strand 
takes place when as yet there is no stalk, exactly as in Clathrus 
(text fig. i). The branches are then fixed to the peridium, as it 
were, at their outer ends. When their inner ends are raised up 
by the intercalation of a stalk, the outer parts of the branches are 
drawn out into vertical columns, parallel with the stalk. Thus 
the stalk of Simhlmn, originating as a sterilized basal portion of 
the receptaculum, becomes an independent organ, bearing the 
fertile receptaculum at its upper end. The usefulness of such a 
stalk for the better distribution of the spores, as Moeller (1895) 
suggests, cannot be doubted. 
From a study of Burt’s (1894) description of Anthurus borealis 
and Fischer’s (1910) of Aseroe, it appears that in these forms 
also the stalk develops in the manner outlined above, rather than 
by a branching of the rudiment of the central strand higher up, 
and a forcing of the tips of the branches downward between the 
layers of the peridium. Indeed this view was mentioned as prob- 
able by Burt (1894, p. 495). It is indicated also by Moeller’s 
description of the development of Coins Garciae (1895, p. 39). 
A study of the plates in the volva-jelly of Coins hirudinosus, 
Kalchbrennera, and Latcrnea would be helpful in this connection. 
Tulasne’s (1846) figure of the egg of Coins hirudinosus shows the 
plates from the fertile parts of the receptaculum to the volva, but 
shows no plates in the region of the stalk. His figure 16 is a 
transverse section of the fertile portion and figure 15 an outside 
view of the entire egg. The matter is therefore not settled for 
this species. 
In Lysurus, Anthurus and Aseroe it is possible to consider the 
stalk as a fusion of the lower vertical bars of a clathrate receptac- 
ulum. Clathrclla chrysomycelina and Latcrnea apparently lead 
to such a view. In Simblum there is no indication whatever of 
such an origin. Now, in all stalked Clathraceae, the stalk is sur- 
rounded by a sheath of gelatinizing hyphae, to which the plates 
attach, as in Simblum. But in the fertile portion the plates attach 
directly to a line or furrow along the arms or branches of the 
receptaculum. It seems reasonable therefore to believe that the 
stalks are homologous structures throughout the family, and of 
the same nature as described for Simblum. The sheath of the 
