322 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
spores emit long rhizoidal filaments ; the mature ones germinate soon 
into young fronds, either emitting short rhizoids or not. No case was 
found of a single cell producing male and female swarming gametes, as 
described by Prof. Yendo. It is suggested that they bear a strong 
resemblance to Chytridean parasites. E. S. Gepp. 
Systematic Position of “ Delesseria quercifolia ” from California. 
— Carl Skottsberg ( University of California Publications , Botany , 
1922, 7, 427-36, 1 pi.). A discussion of the relation of this plant to 
the true plant as found in the subantarctic region of South America, 
and a demonstration that, though agreeing with the type in many 
particulars, the Californian alga is narrower and more entire in outline, 
and differs in the transverse section of the costa Summarizing 
the past history of the Delesserieas, the author shows that it 
is desirable to re-establish Kiitzing’s genus Phycodrys, with, the 
European P. sinuosa as type A second species is P. quercifolia 
(Bory; Skottsb. from the Magellan region. A third is P. Setchellii 
Skottsb., the Californian plant, a diagnosis of which is given. The 
author has paid much attention to the mode of growth, anatomical 
structure, position of cystocarps and sori of many species of Delesserieae, 
and finds that he can refer every specimen to one or other of two 
principal types— the sinuosa type or the hijpoghssum type. A. G. 
Efflorescence of Rhodymenia palmata ; Presence of a Xylane in 
the Florideae. — C. Sauvageau and G. Deniges ( Comptes Rendus , 
Paris, 1922, 174, 791-4). This alga, formerly an article of food, 
known as “ Dulse,” does not produce a jelly when boiled. When dried, 
it gradually becomes covered with a white efflorescence of sweetish 
taste composed of crystals of potassium chloride and of mannite. But 
though Icelandic specimens yield mannite, French specimens do not ; 
nor do they yield trehalose (though Kylin found about 15 p.c. in dried 
Swedish samples). Mrs. Swartz extracted a pentosan from American 
plants. The present authors also extracted pentosan from French 
samples, and are able to demonstrate for the first time that it is a 
xylane ; and they predict that this substance will be found in other 
Florideae. The process of extraction is a tedious one. The methyl- 
peutosan, which was also found, is probably the source of the mannite 
which effloresces after the drying of Rhodymenia palmata. Mannite is 
commonly found in brown algae. A. G. 
Additions to Oceanic Algology. — Angelo Mazza ( Notarisia , 
1922, 33, 1-51). A morphological account of some confused and 
difficult genera of Florideae. Leptocladia has benefited by the re- 
searches of W. A. Setchell, who has found it to be referable to Duinon- 
tiaceae and to the vicinity of Pikea ; and that to the Californian 
Leptocladia Binghamise J. Ag. must be referred the obscured Ander- 
soniella Farloiuii Schmitz, a plant which has been distributed as 
Farlowia compressa. A second species is L. conftrta Setchell, also from 
California. The genus Nitophyllum has been divided by J. Agardh 
into four subgenera : Leptostroma , Aglaophyllum (with eight sections), 
Polyneura , and Cryptoneura (with five sections). Mazza discusses the 
