ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
367 
occurs also on other species of Melanospora and Sporormia. After a 
period of rest it developes into a perithece. 
From the mode of development of the asci and fructification, Herr 
Zukal places Penicillium among the Gymnoasci. The mode of ejection 
of the ascospores in several species of Ascoholus and in Byparohius 
pachyascus is described. In the last-named a hypha is differentiated at 
a very early period at the base of the primary weft of hyphae, which is 
identical with the scolecite of Ascoholus. Theleholus is probably an 
archaic form from which both Byparohius and Ascoholus have been derived. 
Finally Zukal supports de Bary’s view of the sexual origin of the 
fructification in a large number of the Ascomycetes. 
Lowly- organized Lichen.* * * § — Herr H. Zukal finds on Sphagnum and 
other mosses a gelatinous mass consisting mainly of the alga Palmella 
hotryoides var. heterospora, permeated by a very delicate mycele pro- 
ceeding from the peritheces of a very thin-walled Sphaeriacea. A branch 
of the mycele ramifies to each algal cell, and becomes closely applied to 
it, but without penetrating it. There appears to be a symbiotic relation- 
ship between the two, the growth of the algal cells being rather pro- 
moted than hindered, and Herr Zukal regards the organism as a lichen, 
to which he gives the name Epigloea hactrospora. 
Pyrenomycetes.| — Herr K. Starback describes three new species of 
Pyrenomycetes, and proposes that the family should be divided into two 
groups, viz. those in which the spores are ejaculated from the perithece, 
and those in which they escape by the conversion of the hymenium into 
mucilage. The latter is probably the more common mode, but has at 
present been determined in only a few Pyrenomycetes. He further points 
out that in Chsetomium the hairiness of the perithece is of great 
advantage to the fungus by promoting the dissemination of the spores by 
insects. The entire perithece is attached so loosely to its substratum 
that when an insect comes into contact with it, the entire fungus becomes 
attached to its body. 
Trichophila, a new genus of Sphseropsideae.J — Herr C. A. J. A. 
Oudemans describes this new genus belonging to the family Leptostro- 
maceae, of Sphaeropsideae, with the following diagnosis : — Stroma appla- 
natum effiisum piceum, intus p. m. distincte pluiilocellatum, pallidius, 
basi propria destitutum. The only species, T. Myrmecophagse^ was found 
among the hairs of an ant-eater. 
Bommerella.§ — M. E. Marchal describes the cultivation of Bommer- 
ella trigonospora, characterized by its singular triangular ascospores, 
on rabbit’s dung. It produces two kinds of spore, ascospores and 
conids, but the one may pass insensibly into the other. There is 
no production of any sexual organs whatever on the mycele ; the 
peritheces are strictly apogamous. Light appears to exercise an 
injurious effect on the development of the peritheces, but to favour that 
of the conids. 
* Versamml. K.K. Zool.-Bot. Gespll. Wien, xxxix. (1889), SB. p. 78. 
t Naturv. Studentsallsk Upsala, Nov. 8, 1888. See Bot. Ceiitr .lbl., xli. (1890) 
pp. 249 and 278. t Hedwigia, xxviii. (1889) p. 361. 
§ Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique, xxviii. (1889) Pt. i., pp. 261-71 (1 pi.). Cf. 
this Journal, 1886, p. 293. 
