516 
8UMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
In the oogones and antherids many at least of the nuclei undergo 
division by a typical indirect mode, the number of chromosomes being 
probably four. The author believes that a true process of fertilisation 
takes place ; the entrance of the male nucleus into the ovum-cell takes 
place when both gameto-nuclei are in the stage of anaphasis. , The single 
nucleus of the “ oospore ” undergoes indirect division, and the number 
of chromosomes which appear during these divisions seems to be eight. 
The author draws the general conclusion that the reducing divisions 
in the different groups of plants are not all homologous ; in Thallophytes 
there are apparently two types which are not homologous. 
New Genera of Fungi. — Herr W. Tranzschel* * * § describes two new 
genera of Ascomycetes from Russia, viz. : — 
DasyscypJiella (Pezizinese). Apotheces hairy ; paraphyses filiform ; 
spores filiform, 2-several-celled. 
Helminthascus (Pyrenomycetes). Stroma disc-shaped, flat, brightly 
coloured, developed on Yertebrata ; the body of the animal, penetrated 
by the mycele, forms a hypostroma, on which the true stroma is placed ; 
peritheces completely imbedded in the stroma, without a distinct recep- 
tacle ; asci cylindrical, elongated, 8-spored ; spores filiform, as long as 
the asci, septated, breaking up into separate joints. Most nearly allied 
to Gordiceps. 
M. Raciborski j - makes a parasitic fungus found by him in Java on 
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, the type of a new genus of Chytridiaceas, 
Woroninella. 
A new genus of Ascomycetes from Brazil, Xylariodiscus, is described 
by Herr P. Hennings J : — Stroma erectum, longe stipitatum, parte supe- 
riori disciforme v. cupulatum, carbonaceum ; perithecia superficialia, 
semi-immersa, subconoidea, atra, carbonacea, papillata ; asci cylindraceo- 
clavati, octospori, paraphysati ; sporae oblonge navicularieae, continue, 
atrao. 
From Java, M. N. Patouillard§ describes two new genera of Hypho- 
mycetes, with the following diagnoses. 
Geratocladium. Stroma erectum, dendroides, ramosum, induratum, 
ex hyphis filiformibus transverse septatis simplicibus v. ramosis coalitis 
compositum ; hyphae periphericae fertiles, aspergilliformes, apice inflates ; 
basidia globoso-ovoidea, dense congesta ; conidia hyalina v. pallide 
colorata, simplicia, non catenulata. 
Macrostilbum. Terrestre, magnum. Stroma verticale, carnosum, apice 
breviter ramulosum ; conidia apicalia, capitulata, ovoidea, continua. 
Modification of Characters in the IJredine8e.|| — Herr P. Magnus 
adduces a number of instances in which particular species or subgenera 
deviate from the typical characters of the genus in the structure of the 
teleutospores, especially in the number and form of the cells of which 
they are composed, and in the number of germinating pores ; and points 
* Hedwigia, xxxviii. (1899) Beibl., pp. 10-12. 
f Zeitsclir. f. Pflanzenkrankheiten, viii. (1898) pp. 195-200. See Hedwigia, 
xxxviii. (1899) Beibl., p. 33. 
X Hedwigia, xxxviii. (1899) Beibl., pp. 63-4 (1 fig.). 
§ Bull. Soc. Mycol. France, xiv. (1898) pp. 182-98. See Bot. Centralbl., 1899, 
Beih., p. 404. || Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesell., xvii. (1899) pp. 178-84 (1 pi.). 
