ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
649 
times produced non-sexually without the previous formation of gametes. 
A new species, Cymopolia van Bossei , is described from the Dutch 
E. Indies, the early stages of which closely resemble those of Neomeris. 
Of Bornetella a new species, B. oligospora , is also described. The 
sporange contains only a comparatively small number of spores, from 
6 to 14. The cap of the spore is here more conspicuous than in 
Neomeris. 
Ochlochsete and Phaeophila.* — Prof. A. Hansgirg sinks Hauck’s 
genus of Chlorophyceae Phseophila in Ochlochdete. It is entirely a 
marine genus, occurring on other seaweeds or on calcareous shells. 
Fungi. 
Growth of Fungus-hyphae.t — Herr M. O. Reinhardt gives an 
elaborate dissertation on the mode of growth of the hyphae of fungi, and 
the influence on it of various external agents. The observations were 
made chiefly on the mycele of Peziza sclerotiorum , Trifoliorum , Fuckeli- 
ana , and tuberosa. The growth in length of the hyphae does not take 
place by any means regularly, but rather spasmodically. Examined in 
a hanging drop, the form of the growing apex is found to be nearly that 
of a hemisphere ; a firm membrane is always present at the apex, though 
very difficult to detect. 
The growth of the mycele of Peziza is affected in different ways by 
other fungi, according to the species. It is excited to produce peculiar 
growth-forms, not only by Mucor, Penicillium, and Aspergillus , but also 
by other species of Peziza. The filaments of all species excrete oxalic 
acid ; and, since this is highly poisonous to Peziza , they exercise a pre- 
judicial effect on one another’s growth. The destruction of the living 
cells of the host-plant is effected by an enzyme ; and it is probable that 
each species produces its own special enzyme ; hence the reason why, 
in nature, we find each species only on a special host-plant, while the 
same rule does not apply to their saprophytic culture. The hyphaa 
must first attain a sufficient development through saprophytic nourish- 
ment before they can produce the enzyme to destroy the living cells of 
the host-plant. 
The author contests the view that the apical growth of fungus-hyphaB 
takes place by surface-growth through stretching ; the observed facts 
are much more in favour of the view of a growth by intussusception. 
Similiar observations made by the author on the growth of root-hairs 
led to very similar conclusions. 
Fatty matters in Fungi.J — M. E. Gerard has investigated the 
nature of the fatty matters in two Hymenomycetous Fungi, Lactarius 
vellereus and piperatus. The process is described of first extracting the 
fatty substances by boiling alcohol and then purifying. In both species 
they were found to consist of a mixture of volatile and non-volatile 
fatty acids, cholesterin, and lecithin. The acids are oleic and stearic 
acid, both free and as glycerin-compounds, formic, acetic, and butyric. 
* Oesterr. Bot. Zeitscbr., xlii. (1892) pp. 199-201. 
t Jahrb. f. Wiss. Bot. (Pringsheim) xxiii. (1892) pp. 479-566 (4 pis.). 
X Bull. Soc. My col. de France, vi. (1890) pp. 116-34. See Bot. Centralbl 1 
(1892) p. 110. 
