496 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
four principal groups of the Hymenomycetes, the Agaricineae, Polyporeae, 
Hydneae, and Clavarieae ; and the author regards it, therefore, as con- 
stituting the base and starting-point in the evolution of the Hymeno- 
mycetes, excluding the Tremellineae, which are more nearly allied to the 
Uredineae. Two types of hyphal structure are met with in the order : — 
(1) Having thin walls, with little or no tendency to become gelatinous 
externally, numerous transverse septa, and usually much branched ; and 
(2) walls very thick, with a decided tendency to become gelatinous or 
mucilaginous outside, not septated. Transitional forms connect the two. 
extremes. 
The following two new genera are described: — Heterobasidium : 
Resupinato-effusum, secernibile ; subiculo compacto arido ; basidia bi- 
monospora ; sporse septatae, fuscidulae. The lowest member of the order, 
and intermediate between the Hymenomycetes and Ilyphomycetes. 
Asterostroma : Resupinato-effusum ; subiculo fibrilloso arido ; hyphis 
stellatis brunneis immixtis ; sporas albae, hyalin ae. Separated from 
Corticium , to which it is nearly allied, by its brown stellate liyphae in 
the subiculum, and the dry minutely pulverulent not waxy hymenium. 
A diagnosis follows of the three genera Hymenochsete , Corticium , and 
Stereum, and of all their known species, among which several new ones 
are described. 
British Gastromycetes.* — Mr. G. Massee reviews the structure and 
systematic position of this family of Fungi. He disagrees from He Bary’s 
idea of the derivation of the Gastromycetes from the Polyporeae, and 
suggests rather that they are descended from the Ascomycetes through 
the Tuberaceae, by the gradual conversion of asci into basids, the 
Hymenogastreae being regarded as the primitive stock of the Gastro- 
mycetes. The group is divided into the orders — Hymenogastreae, 
Sclerodermeae, Nidularieae, Podaxineae, Lycoperdeae, and Phalloideae, 
diagnoses being then given of the twenty-one genera and seventy-four 
species at present known in Great Britain. 
Protophyta. 
a. Schizopliycese. 
Classification of Diatoms. | — Hr. G. B. He Toni proposes a new clas- 
sification of the Hiatomaceae, of which the following are the primary 
divisions : — 
J. Evolutio valvarum bilateralis, i. e. systema striarum v. costarum 
circa lineam medianam longitudinalem (raphem v. pseudo- 
raphem) dispositum. 
A. Valvae nodulis medianis instructae ( [Noduliferse Heby) ; 
raphis genuina praesens ( Bhapliidese ). (Naviculaceae, 
Amphitrophidaceae, Cymbellaceae, Cocconeidaceae, Gompho- 
nemaceae, Achnanthaceae.) 
B. Yalvae utraeque nodulo mediano genuino carentes v. ob 
absentiam v. abbreviationem striarum costarumve spatium 
longitudinale raphem simulans (pseudoraphem) nodulosque 
et medianos et terminales (pseudonodulos) praebentes 
* Ann. of Bot., iv. (1890) pp. 1-103 (4 pis.), 
t Notarisia, v. (1890) pp. 885-922. 
