ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
567 
(Jredo Goebeliana * is a new parasitic fungus found by Herr F. Magnus 
on tbe leaves of a species of Parietciria in Venezuela, the first known to 
attack that genus. 
The “ soft spot” of the rind of oranges is, according to Mr. R. E. 
Smith,j due to the attacks of a fungus apparently identical with Peni- 
cillium digitatum , rather than with P. glaucum. 
Two little known parasitic fungi are described by Herr E. Rosen t ' 
Graphiola Phoenicis , on Phoenix deidylifera, a fungus of very uncertain 
affinities, possibly allied to the Ustilagineae, but differing in having a 
closed double peridium and a spore-distributing column ; and Botrytis 
longihranchiata, on Bleclmum hrasiliense and succulent flowering plants ; 
chiefly saprophytic, but facultatively parasitic. 
Fungus Parasitic on Pellia.§ — Mr. W. G. P. Ellis finds a fungus 
parasitic on the thallus of Pellia epiphylla , which proved to be the 
conidial form of an Ascomycete apparently identical with the Triclio- 
derma-phase of Hypocrea. It may be regarded as a saprophytic fungus 
taking on a parasitic phase. 
Development of Volutella.|| — On a rotten livacinth-bulb M. E. 
Boulanger finds a very polymorphic species of Volutella to which he 
gives the name V. scopula sp. n. Under cultivation in different media 
it assumes three different fertile forms, viz. : — a simple filamentous form ; 
a normal tubercular form or “ sporodochium ” ; and a filamentous form 
adapted to liquid media and bearing chlamydospores. 
Meliola.^F — On the ground of its basal asci collected into tufts, and 
of the presence of an ostiole, Herr F. Bucholtz separates Meliola from 
the Plectascinese, where it was placed by Fischer, and relegates it to the 
true Pyrenomycetes, where it must probably be accompanied also by 
Testudina , Zulcalia , and Ceratocarpia, 
Exobasidium Vitis.** — D. V. Peglion describes the structure and 
development of this parasite of the grape, preferring this nomenclature, 
rather than Aureohasidium Vitis. It differs from the other genera placed 
by Brefeld in the Hypochnacem in the spores giving birth, on germinat- 
ing, to numerous buddings, instead of developing directly into a myce- 
lial tube. 
Morphology and Biology of Lichens.jf — Pursuing the subject of 
the dependence of Lichens upon light, Herr H. Zukal points out that an 
exceedingly thin layer of chlorophyllaceous tissue will use up almost 
completely all the rays of light that promoto assimilation. The cortex 
of a lichen will absorb, on the average, about ten times as much light 
as the epiderm of higher organisms. The very large superficial develop- 
ment of Lichens in comparison to other Ascomycetes is due to the 
* Flora, lxxxiv. (1897) Erganzbd., pp. 17G-7 (2 figs.). 
+ Bot. Gazette, xxiv. (1897) pp. 103-4 (1 pi.). 
X JB. Schles. Gesell. Vaterl. Cult., 1896 (1897). Zool.-bot. Sect., pp. 37-8. 
§ Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.), xxxiii. (1897) pp. 102-17 (2 pis.). 
|| Eev. Gen. de Bot. (Bonnier), ix. (1897) pp. 220-5 (1 pi.). 
1 Bull. Herb. Boissier, v. (1897) (1 pi.). See Bot. Centralbl., lxxi. (1897) p. 271. 
** Atti R. Accad. Lincei, vi. (1897) pp. 35-9. 
tt SB. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien, cv. (1896) pp. 196-264. Cf. this Journal, 1896, 
p. 658. 
1897 2 r 
