ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
83 
arguments in favour of the independent position of lichens are that they 
have produced a new form of fructification of their own, the sorede ; 
and that they develope special pigments and other chemical substances. 
“Reticulate Structure” of Ramalina reticulata.* — Herr K. G. 
1/utz agrees with Cramer in identifying Agardh’s genus of Algse Chloro- 
dictyon with the lichen Bamalina reticulata. He disputes the inference 
of Agardh that the remarkable reticulate appearance of this organism is 
the result of the breaking-up of a single cell, or that it is derived from 
any peculiarity in the mode of growth characteristic of the species. The 
formation of the so-called “ meshes ” is, on the contrary, due to mechani- 
cal causes. The cortical hyphse in which the gonids are imbedded are 
enclosed in a mucilage which absorbs water strongly ; and it is the 
degree in which these hyphse are separated from one another in conse- 
quence of the swelling caused by the absorption of water, that produces 
the reticulate appearance. 
Parasitic Fungi/] - — Herr C. R. Heck gives a detailed account of the 
cancer of the silver fir, Abies pectinata , which attacks also A. Pichta, 
balsamea, Nordmanniana , cephalonica , and Pinsapo. The development 
of the mycele of JEcidiim ( Peridermium ) elatinum takes place very slowly, 
and only with the assistance of living cambium cells. 
Herr F. Nobbe J describes the ravages inflicted on pine-forests by 
the “ leaf-red ” ( Fichtennadelrothe ) caused by the attacks of Hypoderma 
macrosporum. 
Alopecurus pratensis ( Wiesenfuchsschwanz ) is, according to Herr P. 
Sorauer,§ greatly injured by the attacks of an undescribed fungus, Pes- 
talozzia Soraueriana Sacc., which finds its home chiefly in the flowering- 
stalks of the grass. 
Herr E. Rostrup || describes the mode in which Phoma sanguinolenta 
attacks the carrot, destroying its power of forming seed. 
Herr P. Magnus calls attention to the pathological phenomena pro * * § 
duced in the wallflower by the attacks of Peronospora parasitica. 
M. L. Mangin** describes the ravages effected in nurseries of trees 
(lime, almond, Ailanthus , maple, mountain ash, &c.) in France by the 
attacks of Nectria cinndbarina. 
Mr. E. F. Smith j j traces a very destructive disease of water-melons 
in Georgia to a new species of Fusarium , F. niveum. 
Prof. R. D. Halsted ascribes a destructive root-rot of beet to an 
undescribed species of Phyllosticta, in which the pycnids are of non- 
sex ual origin. 
* Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., xii. (1894) pp. 207-14 (3 figs.). Cf. this Journal, 
1891, p. 505. 
f ‘ Der Weisstannenkrebs,’ Berlin, 1 894, 163 pp., 19 pis. and 10 figs. See Bot. Cen- 
tralbl., 1894, Beih., p. 374. 
t Tharand. forstl. Jahrb., xliii. (1893) pp. 39-55. See Bot. Centralbl., lx. (1894) 
p. 26. 
§ Zeitschr. f. Pflanzenkrankheiten, iv. (1894) pp. 213-5. See Bot. Centralbl., 
lx. (1894) p.82. 
|| Tom. cit., pp. 195-6 (1 pi.). See Bot. Centralbl., lx. (1894) p. 143. 
*[ SB. Vers. Deutsch. Naturf. u. Aerzte, 1894. See Bot. Centralbl., lx. (1894) 
p- 197. ** Comptes Rendus, cxix. (1894) pp. 753-6. 
ft Bot. Gazette, xxix. (1894) pp. 373-4. XX Tom. cit., p. 379. 
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