244 



DIVISION II. — COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT OF FUNGI. 



,oO°o 



The small rod-like cells which sprout from the cells of the spores of Nectria inaurata 

 and N. Lamyi ] while still inside the ascus, filling it quite full and giving rise to strange 

 misunderstandings, may also be mentioned in this place, though it is not very probable 

 that they arc of the same significance. The point of agreement between all these 

 forms lies in their outward resemblance and in the absence of any certain knowledge 

 as to their morphological and physiological value. 



Section LXXI. 4. Gonidia. The course of development in the few forms 

 mentioned above on page 238, 1, is shown with certainty by our observations up to 

 the present time to be that which is there termed simple ; and almost all Lichen-fungi 

 also are without gonidia unless we count among them the sorcdia, which will be 

 described in section CXVII, as there is certainly good reason for doing ; other gonidial 



formations are described in a few species only, as ex- 

 ceptional cases therefore, and in these are not beyond 

 doubt. 



. The course of development in the larger part of the 

 Ascomycetes with which we are acquainted, and especially 

 in the Pyrenomycetes, is pleomorphous with copious pro- 

 duction of gonidia of more than one form. All the gonidia 

 are unicellular or pericellular compound spores formed 

 by acrogenous or intercalary abjunction, as in the ex- 

 amples which have just been described. Anatomical 

 investigation and observation of different portions of the 

 development show that they usually appear as precursors 

 of the ascocarps, whether their development comes to an 

 end when the formation or at least the completion of these 

 begins, or they make their first appearance before the 

 latter but continue to develope simultaneously with them. 

 Claviceps, which has already been described, is an excellent 

 example of the first case, for gonidia and perithecia follow 

 one another in that genus in successive periods of vege- 

 tation. The development of species of Stigmatea accord- 

 ing to Tulasne 2 , and probably of some other small Pyre- 

 nomycetes that live in leaves, follows a similar course, but 

 without forming sclerotia ; and this is the case also with Epichloe, which was described 

 in a former page, and with Tulasne's Xylarieae (Xylaria, Poronia, Ustulina, Hypoxylon) 

 and some species of Nectria, especially N. cinnabarina ( = Tubcrcularia vulgaris, P.), 

 which all behave in a similar manner to Epichloe. The compound sporophores 

 of these forms are at first covered by a hymenium which produces gonidia, but this 

 ceases to grow and is cast off as soon as the development of the perithecia formed 

 within its plane of insertion begins to advance. 



A second case is exemplified in the Erysipheae mentioned above, in Fumago 

 salicina 3 , Cucurbitaria macrospora (Fig. 1 1 7), Pleospora polytrichum, P. Clavariarum 4 , 



FIG. ji6. PezizaFiickeliaiia. From a 

 specimen grown on a microscopic slide in 

 grape juice examined under water after 

 being treated with alcohol, a three young 

 steriginata forming 'spermatid' at the 

 top of a branch of the mycelium, the 

 abjunction shown plainly on the middle 

 one. b group of five steriginata before 

 all the spermatia are shed, c view in 

 profile of a stout dense tuft of steriginata 

 springing from more than one mycelial 

 filament, the apex of which is formed of 

 a mass (merely outlined) of spermatia 

 abscised and imbedded in jelly. Magn. 

 375 times. 



1 See Janowitsch in Bot. Ztg. 1865, p. 149. 

 s Tulasne, Carpol. II. 



* Carpol. II. 



1 Tulasne, Carpol. II. 



