2^6 



RESEAKCHE8 OX FUNGI 



into the air. The dischai-<,fcd contents of each ascus always made 

 their first appearance as eight spores which had ah'cady separated 

 from one another, and which Avere falHng very slowly downwards 

 at a distance above the hymeniuni of about 2-3 cm. (Fig. 77). 

 The sudden bursting into view of the eight glistening and falling 

 particles against a black background forcil)ly reminded me of the 

 sudden illumination of the sky at night by a shower of brilliant 

 points of light produced by an explosive rocket. The eight spores 

 of each ascus, at the moment of their appearance in the beam of 

 light, usually formed a more or less regular vertical series in which 



Fig. 78. — Semi diagrammatic sketch of a section through a fruit-body of Peziza rcpanda 

 whilst discharging its spores. The spores are shot up to a height of l-'2*5 cm. 

 above the hymenium and are then carried off by the wind. Natural size. 



the highest spore was several millimetres from the lowest. It was 

 observed that very slight air-currents were sufficient to carry the 

 separated spores round and round in the air contained within the 

 glass jar. It can scarcely be doubted, therefore, that the spores 

 of the Peziza are dispersed in nature by the Avind in the same 

 manner as those of Hymcnomycetes. It is interesting that the 

 cloud of spores produced by the Peziza comes into being, not 

 immediately above the hymenium, but at a distance of 2-'.\ cm. 

 above it. This enables horizontal air-currents which are almost 

 universally found above the surface of the ground to carry away 

 the spores before they have time to fall back nn to th«^ fruit-body 

 from Avhich they have been discharged (Fig. 78). 



