Notes . 
293 
CHEMISTRY OF LICHENIC AND FUNGAL MEMBRANES 1 . 
In this investigation the Lichens Cetraria islandica , Peltigera canina 
and Evernia prunasiri and the sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea , 
were subjected to examination. The work was suggested by a 
research of Winterstein 2 , who has found chitin or a similar compound 
in the membranes of several Fungi. It was expected to find that 
the hyphal membranes of the Lichens would contain this substance, 
and the algal ones cellulose, as essential constituents. The sclerotium 
of Claviceps was examined to prove, if possible, the identity of 
mycosine 3 with chitosan 4 . 
I was unable to prove the presence of chitin or a similar body in 
Celraria. The hyphal membranes appeared to consist principally 
of lichenin, and of a paragalactan or a mixture of several. Lichenin 
seemed to be a galactan, yielding an osazone melting at I9i°-i92° C. 
The algal membranes consisted principally of a cellulose, probably 
gluco-cellulose. From the hyphal membranes of Pelligera , a sub- 
stance with physical properties agreeing tolerably with those of 
chitosan was obtained. The yield was small, and analysis did not 
give percentages reconcilable with those of chitosan. The algal 
membranes did not consist of cellulose. Lichenin was proved to 
be absent. No substance comparable with chitosan appeared to 
be with certainty obtainable from the hyphae of Evernia. The prin- 
cipal constituent seemed to be a substance which swelled greatly 
on treatment with hydrochloric acid and a solution of potassium- 
hydroxide, and disappeared during fusion with the latter. This 
compound was not examined. The algal membranes consisted of 
cellulose, probably gluco-cellulose. No cellulose could be obtained 
from the hyphal membranes of any one of these Lichens. 
The sclerotium of Claviceps yielded a substance for the most part 
similar in physical properties to chitosan. Analysis did not confirm 
its identity with this substance, and the percentages differed from 
those of mycosine. A large fraction of the hyphal membranes seemed 
to consist of a compound, or several, which yielded during fusion one 
or more aliphatic acids ; these were not examined for want of time. 
1 Abstract of a paper which will appear in Hoppe-Seyler’s Zeitsch. fiir phys. Chem. 
2 Hoppe-Seyler’s Zeitsch. fur phys. Chem., Bd. xx, 1894; Bd. xxi, 1895. 
3 E. Gilson : ‘ Recherches chimiques sur la membrane cellulaire des chain 
pignons.’ Extrait de la Revue ‘ La cellule,’ t. xi, 1 fascicule. 
4 Hoppe-Seyler : Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Ges., 1894, S. 3329. 
T. Araki : Hoppe-Seyler’s Zeitsch. fiir phys. Chem., Bd. xx, S. 498 et seq. 
X 
