284 



THE LOWER FUNGI— PHYCOMYCETES 



unusual type, and interesting in connection with any consider- 

 ation of the phylogeny of the order. In a sense the genus may 

 be said to be intermediate in type between the Oomycetes and 

 Zygomycetes. 



Fi<;. 102. — Bayidioholus ranarum Eidam. (a) Formation of beaks, (h) 

 Nuclei in beaks, (c) Beaks septate., (d, e) Nuclear division in beaks. (/) 

 Zygospores, (j/, h) Conidial formation, {a-e, after Eidam 1880'; f, h, after Thaxtcr 



1888.) 



In B. ranarum (Fig. 102) the myceHum develops profusely on 

 the excrement, and consists of branching threads which in nature 

 retain their hyphal form. They are composed normally of uninu- 

 cleate cells, though in age or under conditions of unsatisfactory 

 nutrition they may become multinucleate. The fungus grows 

 well in culture on various artificial media, but in culture may 



