204 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
vegetative condition, though it disappears at the period of fructification. 
In some species the grains have the form of flat disks. 
The spherical refringent bodies found by several authors in the cells 
of Laurencia, Plocamium , SpJiserococcus, and other Floridtse, were investi- 
gated by Golenkin, and found to exhibit all the characters of elaioplasts, 
which is also the case with the large yellow spherical bodies in Dictyoia . 
Structures of a similar appearance in Sebdenia Monardiana presented, 
however, quite different reactions. 
Phycoerythrin.* — Prof. H. Molisch finds Nitophyllum pundatum a 
favourable object for obtaining crystals of the red colouring matter of 
the Florideae, known as phycoerythrin or rhodospermin ; and, these terms 
being identical, he proposes the abolition of the latter. The crystals 
do not occur in the living plant, but are only postmortal. They can 
readily be obtained by placing the plant in a 10 per cent, solution of 
sodium chloride, the addition of a few drops of carbon bisulphide greatly 
facilitating the process. The crystals belong to the hexagonal prismatic 
system ; their size varies greatly, as also their degree of solubility in 
fresh water. They are slowly soluble in glycerin, insoluble in alcohol, 
ether, benzol, carbon bisulphide, olive oil, and turpentine oil. A striking 
peculiarity is their strong swelling-properties on addition of potash-lye, 
soda-lye, or ammonia. They take up iodine, and some other pigments, 
such as fuchsin. These and other chemical reactions show that the so- 
called crystals of phycoerythrin are in reality crystalloids of an albumi- 
noid character. The substance can be obtained also as an amorphous 
precipitate. Other species of Florideae yield similar results. 
Peculiar Form of Chantransia.t — In a culture of Batrachospermum 
irregulare , M. J. Huber found the CJiantransia generation assume a pe- 
culiar form, which had the property of multiplying by means of buds. 
Systematic Position of the Bangiacese.f — The late Prof. F. Schmitz 
criticized on several points Johnson’s views on this subject; but agreed 
in the general conclusion that, under whatever name, the Bangiaceae 
must be treated as a distinct class from the Florideae or “ Eu- Florideae.” 
Systematic Position of Thorea.§ — Reverting to this subject, the 
late Prof. F. Schmitz somewhat modified his view that Thorea can be 
classed with the Phaeophyceae. He, however, held that its divergence 
from the Florideae is so strong that, until sexual organs of repro- 
duction have been detected, it must be placed in a class by itself, 
intermediate between the Florideae, Phaeophyceae, and Chlorophyceae. 
The mode of apical growth is altogether different from that of the Meso- 
gloiaceae ( Castagnea and Myriodadia ), where the apical hair is an 
assimilating organ. 
Seaweeds of Heligoland.il— In an exhaustive account of the flora of 
the shores of Heligoland, Dr. P. Kuckuck describes several new species 
* Bot. Ztg., lii. (1894) l*e Abtheil., 177-89 (1 ph). 
t^Bull. Herb. Boiss., ii. (1894) pp. 164-6 (1 pi.). See Bot. Centralbl., lx. (1894) 
p. 177. 
X La Nuova Notarisia, v. (1894) pp. 714-7. Cf. this Journal, 1894, p. 599. 
§ La Nuova Notarisia, v. (1894) pp. 705-14. Cf. this Journal, 1892, p. 293. 
|| ‘ Whsensch. Meeresunters. herausgegeben v. d. Kommission z. wissensch. 
Unters. d. Deutsclien Meere in Kiel u.s.w.,’ i. pp. 223-65 (29 figs.). 
