5i8 RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



away from the surface of the horn. On observing intently for a 

 few minutes particular basidiospores which were of full size and 

 apparently ripe, I was soon rewarded by seeing them violently 

 discharged from their sterigmata, thus confirming the previous 

 observations of Coons, Giddings and Berg, and Weimar. 



Fig. 211. — Gymmosporangium Juniperi-virginianae. Teleutospores and 

 their germination. From left to right : (1) a typical mature teleuto- 

 spore, (2) a young teleutospore in which large oil drops are still 

 present, (3) a one-celled teleutospore, (4) typical germination of a 

 teleutospore, the upper cell having produced a curved basidium 

 with four sterigmata and four spores on its outer convex side, and 

 (5) a teleutospore showing abnormalities in the mode of germin- 

 ation, viz., swelling of two germ-pits and production of germ-tubes 

 directly from two of the basidial cells. Drawn by H. S. Reed and 

 C. H. Crabill. From Bull. No. 9 of the Virginia Agricultural 

 Experiment Station. 



Whilst watching basidiospores about to be discharged, I con- 

 centrated my attention upon the spore-hilum, and I then perceived 

 that a drop of water was excreted from each hilum immediately 

 before the moment of discharge. The drop made its first appearance 

 10-40 seconds (often about 15 seconds) before discharge and grew 

 in size to somewhat less than the spore's diameter. Then the drop 

 and spore were violently shot away together, just as in Puccinia 



