MONOBLEPHA RID A LES 7 1 3 



female gametes. These are borne in terminal gametangia, both types of 

 which may be renewed by internal proliferation (Figs. 52 A, p. 712; 

 54 B, p. 738). The small male gametes, which contain a conspicuous 

 apical cluster of refractive granules, are discharged as in Monoblepharis 

 and Motwblepharella. The female gametes (Fig. 52 C) may be distin- 

 guished by their lack of flagella, their relatively larger size, and the 

 presence within them of many minute refractive granules which impart 

 a brownish color (Fig. 52 B). Since the latter gametes may, or may not, 

 be discharged, gametic fusion can occur either within or outside the 

 female gametangium. In either case it is incomplete and part of the body 

 of the male cell with its flagellum is always evident upon the surface of 

 the female gamete (Fig. 52 D, E). After a variable period of amoeboid 

 movement, the zygote swims about propelled, as in Motwblepharella, 

 by the persistent flagellum of the male. Following the motile stage, 

 which may last as long as three hours, the zygote comes to rest, assumes 

 a spherical shape, and develops into a smooth-walled, brownish oospore 

 (Fig. 52 F). Its germination has not been observed. 



SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT 



MONOBLEPH ARID ALES 



Microscopic eucarpic fungi with a well-developed filamentous myce- 

 lium, the contents disposed in a reticulate or foamy manner, nonseptate 

 save when reproductive organs are formed, or possessing pseudosepta ; 

 nonsexual reproduction by means of posteriorly uniflagellate zoospores 

 borne in sporangia; zoospores usually with an anterior group of refrac- 

 tive granules; sexual reproduction oogamous, by means of posteriorly 

 uniflagellate antherozoids borne in antheridia and nonflagellate oo- 

 spheres, one or more borne in each oogonium; the fertilized oosphere 

 becoming a thick-walled oospore, upon germination forming a hypha. 



As originally conceived by Cornu, Monoblepharis (including Gona- 

 podya) embraced Saprolegnia-Wkt organisms which had uniflagellate 

 zoospores. With the advent of more accurate observations on the zoo- 

 spores of various filamentous Phycomycetes, there can be little question 

 that this idea was a correct one. The only other group of true mycelial 



