644 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
treated with distilled water. After some days crystals wfill usually 
appear. The conclusions drawn from numerous analyses are as follows : 
— (1) That mannite is nearly always present in the larger fungi, 
crystallizing in long fine needles. It was met with in 90 per cent, of 
the species examined. (2) Trehalose is less frequently present, and 
may be known by its hard massive crystals. It was met with in 25 per 
cent, of the species. (3) In some species of the genus Amanita chloride 
of potassium was met with in sufficient quantity to form crystals. 
(4) Glucose was met with in certain species, e. g. Amanita valida , A. 
spissa, A. map pa, Tricholoma sulfureum, JRussula virescens, &c. 
M. Bourquelot * confines his observations to the genus Lactarius , 
and states that other saccharine bodies besides trehalose and mannite 
exist in these fungi. In L. volemus there is a sugar analogous to mannite 
which crystallizes easily. 
Development of Phytophthora infestans.f — By cultivating diseased 
potatoes in complete darkness, Herr J. Smorawski believes that he has 
obtained the hitherto unknown oogones of Phytophthora infestans, and 
possibly also the antherids, though he conjectures that reproduction 
may sometimes take place parthenogenetically. 
Parasitic Fungi.;}; — Dr. C. von Tubeuf describes the results of the 
attacks on seedling birches of Phytophthora omnivora, which, both on 
this and on other seedlings, frequently incites the formation of a third 
cotyledon. He also speaks of the ravages committed on Alnus incana by 
Exoascus borealis ; on Pinus excelsa by Trichosphseria parasitica, which 
also attacks Picea excelsa and Tsuga canadensis ; and on Pinus Strobus 
by Lophodermium brachysporum. 
Physomyces.§ — The name Physomyces heterosporus is proposed by 
Prof. C. 0. Harz for an undescribed fungus, which he finds abundantly 
infesting manufactories of soap and candles. It forms a continuous 
dark brown pellicle on a warm solution of raw glycerin, with bright 
carmine spots; and produces stylospores varying in size from 7-8 to 
9-11 p, and sporanges 40-50 p in size, containing spherical or shortly 
oval sporangiospores measuring 4-5 p. The cell-wall is colourless ; but 
the carmine pigment, which the author proposes to call physomycin, 
occurs in both the hyphae and the stylospores. Although resembling 
Lankester’s bacterio-purpurin in colour, it differs altogether from that 
substance in its properties, being insoluble in water, soluble with 
difficulty in ether, very readily in alcohol ; caustic soda and potassa, 
hydrochloric and sulphuric acids, change it to an orange-yellow. It is 
cultivated readily on a decoction of apples, pears, plums, or quinces, or 
on horse-dung. 
Dr. Harz proposes the establishment of a new order Leptomtcetes, 
of the same rank as the Oomycetes and Zygomycetes, with the following 
characters : — Fungi hyphomycetiformes, saprophytici v. parasitici, 
* Bull. Soc. Mycol. de France, 1S90, p. vii. See Rev. Mycol., xii. (1890) p. 115. 
f Landwirtlisch. Jahrb., xix. (1890) pp. 1-12 (1 pi.). See Bot. Centralbl., xlii. 
(1890) p. 285. 
+ SB. Bot. Ter. Miinchen, Feb. 10, 1890. See Bot. Centralbl., xli. (1890) p. 371. 
SB. Bot. Ter. Miinchen, Feb. 10, 1890 (11 figs.). See Bot. Centralbl., xli. 
(1890) pp. 378 and 105 (1 pi.). 
