of Poronia punctata (L.). 
251 
Internal Anatomy. 
For the study of the internal anatomy of Poronia punctata , 
specimens of stromata were chosen, of different ages, and 
grown both in an unsterilized medium, as found in nature, 
and in pure culture. These were hardened in various fixing 
solutions, e. g. Reiser’s 1 solution, absolute alcohol, Rath’s, 
Flemming’s 2 , and Hermann’s 2 solutions: of these the two 
last gave the most satisfactory results. The sections were 
stained with iron-alum, and haematoxylin, according to 
the method given by Heidenhain 3 . Many other methods 
of staining were tried, such as those employed by Dittrich 4 , 
Harper 5 , and Gjurasin 6 , but the haematoxylin stain in most 
cases proved the most convenient as well as the most useful. 
As already mentioned, in the very earliest stages no dif¬ 
ferentiation can be seen in the hyphae composing the young 
stroma (Fig. 8). As soon, however, as the head begins to 
expand, there can be seen scattered amongst the hyphae of 
the middle and upper part of the stalk more deeply stainable 
hyphae, with swollen clavate ends, apparently filled with 
food material. 
What the true nature and function of these hyphae may be, 
I am unable to say, but it seems significant, that whilst they 
are very abundant in the lower central and especially in the 
marginal portions of still further developed stromata, which 
show young stages in the formation of perithecia, they are 
apparently not to be found either in old specimens with ripe 
perithecia or in mature stromata which have formed conidia 
only and as yet no perithecia. In this connexion compare 
Figures 17,18,31, which represent sections of specimens grown, 
1 See Dittrich, Zur Entwickelungsgeschichte der Helvellineen. Cohn’s Beitr. 
viii, 1898. 
2 Zimmermann, Microtechnique. 
3 See Dittrich, lot. cit. 4 Ibid. 
5 Harper, Pringsh. Jahrb. xxix, xxx. 
6 Gjurasin, Ueber die Kerntheilung in den Schlauchen von Peziza vesiculosa , 
Ber. d. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. xi, 1893. 
