Notes. 
GIBSONIA, Mass. (nov. gen.). 
‘ Perithecia subglobosa, superficialia, membranacea, olivacea, in rostrum longum 
cylindraceum apice fimbriata attenuata ; ascis evanescentibus, octosporis ; sporis 
continuis, brunneis, ellipsoideis, demum in massa mucilaginosa ex ore rostri eiectis/ 
This genus is almost the exact parallel of the genus Spumatoria, Mass, and 
Salm., in the Hyalosporae. Its characteristic features are the very long neck of the 
perithecium and the continuous, dark-coloured spores. The asci deliquesce into 
a mucilaginous mass in the perithecium immediately the spores are mature. This 
mucilage is highly hygroscopic and absorbs water through the wall of the perithecium. 
The tension thus caused forces the mucilage, in which the spores are imbedded, up 
the canal of the neck or beak of the perithecium, where it forms a globular dark- 
coloured mass, supported by the long hyphae terminating the beak, which spread out 
like the ribs of an umbrella. The mass of mucilage and its contained spores are 
finally dispersed by water. 
GIBSONIA PHAEOSPORA, Mass. (sp. nov.). 
‘ Peritheciis sparsis, circa i mm. altis, subglobosis, olivaceis, contextu parenchy- 
matico e cellulis polygonis composito, glabris, basi hyphis repentibus instructis, 
in rostrum longissimum cylindricum abrupte attenuatis ; ascis cylindraceis ; sporis 
monostichis, ellipsoideis, brunneis, continuis, 14-15x7-8 fx.’ 
Found sparingly on a decomposing mass of Saprolegniae, &c., in a drain 
in North Lancashire. 
GEORGE MASSEE. 
Kew. 
NOTE ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE JULIANIACEAE. — In his 
description of the ovules of the Julianiaceae Mr. Boodle 1 mentions certain pecu- 
liarities of structure, on which, however, Mr. Botting-Hemsley has not laid stress 
in his discussion of the relationship of this new order to the Juglandaceae and other 
allied families. It seems to me that a good deal of support for Mr. Hemsley’s views 
might be obtained from a more detailed comparison of the ovule of Juliania with that 
of Juglans as described by Nicoloff. 2 In the first place the ovules of both Juliania 
and Juglans contain a vascular supply in the integument, a feature not common 
in Angiosperms though present in some of the older Gymnosperm seeds, e. g. Tri- 
gonocarpus and Polylophospermum. A similar vascular supply occurs in the integument 
of Myrica Gale , a full account of which I hope to publish shortly. The presence of 
this vascular supply in Juglans and Myrica , and in some of the fossil seeds should, 
I think, be correlated with the fact that the integument is quite free from the nucellus 
1 Botting-Hemsley (’06) : On the Julianiaceae : A new natural Order of Plants. Phil. Trans. 
Roy. Soc., vol. cxcix. 
2 Nicoloff : ‘ Sur le Type floral et le Developpement du Fruit des Jugland^es.’ Journal 
de Botanique, tom. xxviii-xxix. 
