120 



DISCOMYCETES 



[CH. 



gave rise to ascogenous hyphae ; an investigation sufficiently searching to 

 determine this point might have led to the recognition of nuclear fusions 

 in normal material. 



The ascospore has a single large nucleus, and gives rise to multi- 

 nucleate germ-tubes in which Ramlow's figures show numerous nuclei in 

 pairs (fig. 1 6). 



In Ascophanus ochraceus Dangeard describes eight to fifteen oogonia as 

 taking part in the formation of a single fruit. These, it would appear, are 

 all borne upon the same hypha ; they may arise from adjacent cells, and 

 indeed sometimes open into one another, so that the whole series seems 

 equivalent to the oogonial region of A. carneus. Each cell, however, is 

 described as bearing a twisted, multicellular trichogyne, which would indicate 

 that each is an independent organ. Large ascogenous hyphae arise from the 

 several " oogonia," and the view suggests itself that the so-called trichogyne 

 may be in fact a premature ascogenous hypha. It is, at least, difficult to 

 distinguish the one from the other in Dangeard's figures, and the species 

 certainly requires further investigation. 



Saccobolus violascens is a violet or greyish violet species about I mm. in 

 diameter. The archicarp is a coiled structure and is divided into only three 

 or four cells (Dangeard), the central of which gives rise to ascogenous 

 hyphae, while vegetative filaments grow up from the stalk and neighbouring 

 mycelium (fig. 82). 



Fig. 82. Saccobolus violascens Boud.; 

 archicarp ; after Dangeard. 



fig- 83. Thelebolus stercorals Tde. ; 

 ascocarp with single ascus, x 250 ; 

 after Brefeld. 



The species of Rhyparobius and Thelebolus, the two genera with many- 

 spored asci, are all minute, coprophilous forms. They are distinguished by 

 the fact that Rliyparobius produces several large asci, and Thelebolus only 

 one (fig. 83). In both genera the cells of the mycelium are uninucleate. 



In Rhyparobius {Thecotheus) Pelletieri Overton has described several 



