332 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Mycorhiza on the Roots of Philesia.* — Mr. J. M. Macfarlane 
records an example of this, only the second instance known of symbiosis 
between a fungus and a plant belonging to the Liliacese. The myco- 
rhiza forms an abundant growth in the mesocortex. The large spherical 
starch-grains of these cells were abundantly acted on by the hyphaj, 
being dissolved rather than corroded. A large amount of proteid sub- 
stance then appeared in the hyphse. 
Podaxine8e4 — In the forest of Vallombrosa, Sig. F. Cavara finds a 
fungus which he regards as the type of a new genus of this family of 
Gastromycetes, which is chiefly extra-European. It is diagnosed as 
follows : — 
Elasmomyces g. n. Receptaculum semi-epigaeum, stipitatum, globu- 
lare, primo clausum, dein inferne apertum, subtus lamellis spuriis crassis 
radiantibus donatum ; stipes brevis, farctus, evolvatus in columellam 
usque ad peridium desinens ; gleba celluloso-spongiosa ; hymenium e 
basidiis 2-4 sterigmaticis, cystidiis, paraphysibusque efformatum ; sporis 
sphaericis, difformibus, aculeatis. 
The author regards the genus as exhibiting certain affinities with 
the pileate Hymenomycetes, agreeing with them in the stipitate pileus, 
in the constitution of the hymenium, and even in the presence of cyetids, 
which is very unusual among the Gastromycetes. The spherical spores 
is another striking peculiarity ; they are always of two sizes, megaspores 
and microspores. 
Spores of the Truffle.^ — M. A. de Gramont de Lesparre gives further 
details with regard to the development of what he terms the “ male ” 
and the cf female ” spores of the truffle. After impregnation of the 
female spore or of its pseudospore, it puts out very delicate hypodermal 
filaments ; these filaments produce on the surface round black spores, 
the teleutospores, from which the mycele is again developed. 
Geopora and its Allies.§ — Dr. E. Fischer identifies the underground 
fungus known as Hydnocystis gyrosa with Geopora Cooperi. These two 
genera of Hypogsei differ only in the labyrinthine appearance of the 
receptacle of Geopora caused by the folding in of its outer coat. 
Stutzer and Hartleb’s Nitre Fungi. — Prof. A. Gartner [| character- 
ises the views and statements of Stutzer and Hartleb ^ about nitre fungi 
as erroneous. He states that the liquid culture forwarded to him by 
Stutzer was neither a mould nor a young or preliminary stage thereof. 
The mould sent was morphologically constant, and formed no nitrate. So 
too all the other species in the cultures were constant, and none of the 
micro-organisms, when grown on organic nitrogen, were able to oxidise 
this to nitrite, or the nitrite to nitrate. 
Prof. C. Fraenkel ** also investigated the character and properties 
of Stutzer and Plartleb’s fungi, and came to a conclusion similar to that 
of Gartner. 
* Bot. Gazette, xxv. (1898) pp. 106-7. 
f Malpighia, xi.(1897) pp. 414-28 (1 pi.). 
t Comptes Rendus, exxvi. (1898) pp. 443-7 (9 figs.). 
§ Hedwigia, xxxvii. (1898) pp. 56-60 (2 figs.). 
|| Centralb]. Bakt. u. Par., 2 te Abt., iv. (1898) pp. 1-7, 52-61, 109-19 (2 pis.). 
If Cf. this Journal, 1896, p. 105; 1897, pp. 146, 236. 
** Tom. cit., pp. 8-13, 62-67. 
