The Measurement of Electrostatic Charges on Spores of Merulis lacrymans (Wulf.) Fr.

Spores of Merulius lacrymans were allowed to fall through ameasured horizontal electric field. The distance of displacementfrom vertical fall gave a measureof the charge/mass ratio ofthe spores. The mass of a ‘mean’ spore was measuredby direct weighing, and calculation then gave a negative electrostaticcharge on a ‘mean’ spore as (i.35±o.12) x10^–8 e.s.u. It is shown that a charge of this order ofsize can exert no significant effect on the movement of thespores in relation to the hymenial surfaces.