194- Mr. H. O. Stephens on the lower forms of Vegetation. 



for which we have not the slightest shadow of evidence. 

 There is scarcely a stick that died in the autumn, which is not, 

 on the approach of winter, densely covered with Tubercularia 

 vulgaris ; there is no proof, when the stick was living, that 

 the spores of this plant remained dormant within its cellular 

 tissue. 



It must be recollected that, admitting the hypothesis of 

 the absorption of spores, the earth or air must be impreg- 

 nated with them in countless myriads, and these most deli- 

 cate globes or cells must possess a most extraordinary power 

 of resisting putrefaction ; and in the case of Cenangium pre- 

 serve their vitality through an incredible space of time when 

 imprisoned in the solid structure of the oak-tree ; and yet 

 the origin of Fungi, which are parasitic upon Fungi, accord- 

 ing to the theoiy of their invariable production from spores, 

 is still more inexplicable. The elegant little Ag. Loveanus, 

 Berk., has its origin within the substance of the pileus of Ag. 

 nehularis, Batsch, and bursts through the cuticle of the pileus 

 of the latter plant. Now the parent plant is altogether cellu- 

 lar, having neither vessels or tubes of any kind through 

 which we can suppose the spore, which gave origin to the 

 Ag. Loveanus, could be transmitted. 



I do not know how this can be explained according to the 

 theory of absorption of spores contained in the earth. 



The other theory is, that the structures which contain erum- 

 pent Fungi must, under certain favourable circumstances, 

 have the power or quality of originating these plants out of 

 their own organization. Inclined as I am to suppose some 

 of the lower forms of vegetation may obtain their existence 

 out of the ruins of the higher, according to certain definite 

 laws imposed by the great Author of all things, which 

 laws are to us altogether unknown, I should be sorry to be 

 thought to be an advocate of the doctrine of what is called 

 spontaneous generation; in plain language, things making 

 themselves ; it is too absurd to need disproof; or of equivocal 

 generation, for nature emerged too perfect from the hands of 

 her Creator to have anything doubtful or equivocal in any of 

 her processes. These processes may seem doubtful or equi- 

 vocal to us, simply because they are beyond our comprehen- 

 sion. Of the truth of the last theory of production of imper- 

 fect plants, it must be admitted there is no direct proof; it 

 must rather be inferred from the difficulties and objections 

 which have been advanced against the former. It is generally 

 assumed by those who accept the latter theory, that out of 

 the departing vitality of some higher organized vegetable (for 

 I have considered the question throughout as referring to 



