224 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
hyalinas, rectae v. cur villas, germinatione promycelium emittentes, in 
conidium unicum apice productum. 
Helicogloea. Beceptaculum liomogeneum totum gelatinosum, inde- 
terminate effusum, superficiale, bymenio levi undique vestitum ; basidia 
longissima, primitus recte cylindracea, dein varie flexuoso-incurvata, 
transverse septata, et in convexa parte plura sterigmata gerentia ; sporae 
ovoideae, hyalinae, sub germinatione filamentum brevissimum emittentes, 
in conidium unicum sporisque simillimum apice productum. 
The same authors * * * § further describe two species of fungi from 
Ecuador, which they make types of a new genus, Sirobasidium, of 
heterobasidial Hymenomycetes. The following is its diagnosis : — Fungi 
gelatinosi, pulvinati, ubique hymenio vestiti. Basidia ex apice hypharum 
oriunda, globosa v. ovoidea, longitudinaliter quadripartita, in catenulas 
disposita, quarum articuli inferni juniores; e quacumque parte basidii 
spora unica continua fusiformis acrogena sessilis exoritur. Germinatio 
sporm ignota. The ovoid basids divided longitudinally seem to present 
an analogy with the Tremellini ; but Sirobasidium is completely separated 
from that family by the arrangement of the basids in strings with basi- 
petal development and by the absence of sterigmas, an extremely rare 
occurrence in the Heterobasidiae. It must probably be placed in the 
Auriculariem. 
Under the name Gloiocepliala , Mr. G. Massee f describes a new genus 
of fungi with the following diagnosis: — Hymenophore circular, plane, 
the upper sterile surface bearing numerous large projecting cystids 
which secrete a considerable quantity of hyaline mucus ; kymene cover- 
ing the entire under surface of the hymenophore, and consisting of closely 
packed basids, each bearing a single spore at the apex ; stem central, 
composed of a fascicle of transversely septate hyphse. Gloiocepliala can- 
not belong to the Basidiomycetes, because of its monosporous basids; 
its nearest allies appear to be Physalacria and Pistillina. G. epipbylla 
grows on decaying leaves in Jamaica. 
Carnivorous Fungus.J — Prof. C. M'Millan calls attention to the 
property of Polyporus applanatus of capturing and digesting insects. 
Flies assemble in swarms on the under surface of the pileus, where they 
appear to feed on the soft substance of the hymenophore. No viscid 
secretion could be detected, but the insects get caught in the clefts of 
the surface, and then die. Immediately a mycelial growth sets up from 
the interior of the pores, soon completely enveloping the body of the 
insect, which then becomes completely absorbed, so that scarcely a trace 
of it is left. After complete digestion fresh pores are formed. 
Protophyta. 
a. Schizopliyceae. 
Glaucospira, a new Genus of Phycochromacese.§ — Under the names 
Glaucospira agilissima and G. tenuior Prof. G. v. Lagerheim describes 
two new organisms from Ecuador which resemble Spirochsete in every 
* Journ. de Bot. (Morot), vi. (1892) pp. 465-9 (2 figs.). 
t Grevillea, xxi. (1892) pp. 33-4 (1 fig.). 
X Bot. Gazette, xvii. (1892) pp. 381-2. 
§ Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., x. (1892) pp. 364-5. 
