SPORES. 



[ 726 ] 



SPOROCmSMA. 



TRYTis, figs. 77, 78, p. 116 ; figs. 685, 686; 

 and PI. 26. figs. 5, 6, 15, 16) at tlie ends of 



Fig. 685. Fig. 686. 



Fig. 687 



Fig. 685. Mystrosporium Stemi^hylium, Corda (Stem- 

 phyhnm, Fries). Magn. 200 diams. 



Fig. 686. Stachyobotrya atra. Fertile filament with 

 heads of acrogenous spores. Magn. 200 diams. 



Fig. 687. A head of spores. Magn. 500 diams. 



erect filaments ; these again appear to pass 

 almost insensibty into the conidia or repro- 

 ductive cells produced by tlie brealdng-up 

 of the mycelium, either wholly or in part, 

 into free cells capable of continuing the 

 growth (ToRULA, PI. 26. fig. 7, and Oidium, 

 fig. 8) : on the other hand, the spennatia 

 (figs. 2, .J, 4), such as occur in some of the 

 Coniomycetous forms of the Pyrenomycetous 

 and Discomycetous Fungi, are closely re- 

 lated, as far as structure goes, to the conidia 

 of Torula &c. and the spores of the Hy- 

 phomycetes; while the stylospores of the 

 Ukedhstei and Tremellini produce bodies 

 resembling them, and still more like the 

 basidiospores of the Agaricini. The stylo- 

 spores, another free form of spore, may be 

 regarded probably as compound organs, 

 fornied of a row of cells contained in a 

 persistent parent cell : it is sm-mised that 

 they are merely metamorphosed asci (see 

 Sph^rta and Stilbospora, PI. 26. 

 figs. 25-28) ; yet their mode of occurrence 

 woiild lead to the idea that they are a 

 distinct kind of organ. Lastly, we have 

 the ascospores or thecaspores (fig. 42, p. 78), 

 closely resembling those of the Lichens, 

 consisting of free cells with a double coat, 

 developed free in the cavity of a parent cell 

 or sac. In the British Flora the terms spo- 

 riile and sporidiimi are used synonymously 

 in the sense of spore, and are applied to 

 basidiospores, ascospores, stylospores, and 

 to the bodies (found in Cyiispora, Tuber- 

 cidaria, &c.) called by Tulasne spermatia. 



The term sporidiola is applied apparently to 

 nuclei or granular masses occun'ing in the 

 cavities of spores, or to the separate portions 

 of contents of imperfectly septate stylo- 

 spores. 



The sporangia of Diatomacese are some- 

 times called Auxospores. 



With regard to the homologies of the 

 above structures, the spermatia are supposed 

 to represent spermatozoids ; the conidia are 

 regarded as corresponding to gonidia of 

 Lichens ; the stylospores are also connected 

 with these through the medium of the 

 tetraspores of the Floridese. 



In conclusion, a reference may be made 

 to descriptions and figm-es like those given 

 (figs. 688, 689) oifree spores resting on the 

 matrix and among the filaments. Such 

 characters are totally out of date in the 



Fig. 688. 



Fig. 689. 



Fig. 688. Leptotrichimi glaucum. Free spores among 

 the filaments of the matrix. Magn. 200 diameters. 



Fig. 689. Fusarium herbariun. Free spores resting 

 on the matrix. Magn. 200 diameters. 



present state of science, and simply serve 

 as indices of points requiring further in- 

 vestigation. 



BiBL. See the heads of the classes of 

 Cryptogamic Plants. 



SPORIDES'MIUM.— A genus of Toru- 

 lacei (Coniomycetous 

 Fungi), growing upon 

 bark, wood, &c. (PI. 

 27. fig. 12). 



The character of 

 the spores seems to 

 vary in different spe- 

 cies ; sometimes they 

 are simply septate, 

 sometimes celliUar 

 (fig. 690). 



See ToRiTLACEi. 



SPOROCHIS'MA, 



Sporidesmimn paradoxum. 



Spores sessile on the 

 matrix. 



Magn. 200 diams. 



Berk, and Br. — A 



