124 LICHENOLOGICAL MEMORABILIA. 



But now comes the question, what function do the zoospores 

 exercise ? We know that zoospores or spermatozoids do exist in 

 ferns, mosses, hepatica?, alga?, and probably fungi, and that they 

 exercise in some — as yet unascertained — mode an influence in the 

 fertilization and fecundation of the plant. Now, as the laws which 

 the Divine Creator has imposed on organic matter are never excited 

 into action but with some definite object, and the production of a 

 definite result, we may conclude that these zoospores, issuing from 

 the gonidia of lichens, exercise a definite function on these lichens. 

 But what that action is remains to be ascertained by future experi- 

 ments and researches. As yet we are simply in the dark. But 

 will analogy justify us in judging it to be in some way connected 

 with fecundation ? Very possibly. 



In Ann. des So. Nat. ser. 5, Bot. xv., p. 198, illustrated by 

 tab. 8, M. Janczenski publishes a very interesting paper on the 

 structure and development of Ascobolus furfuraceus, (Pers.), in 

 which he shows that in the tubercular body formed on the 

 mycelium, and which eventually developes into the cupula, there is 

 engendered in the lower portion a series of larger cells assuming a 

 curved, worm-like contour, which he terms Scolecite, and that from one 

 only of the cells of this scolecite (possibly fertilized by zoospores) 

 issue certain filamentary processes which progress upwards into 

 the young hymenium, and there expand their extremities into 

 young asci filled with protoplasm, which finally developed itself 

 into perfect spores. 



Now, though it be but jumping to a conclusion, still we may in 

 some measure reason by analogy that as assumedly zoospores in 

 other tribes tend to promote or further fecundation, which takes 

 place in the early life of the plant, as in ferns, so also these 

 zoospores in lichens do possibly fertilize, by their movements and 

 contact, one or more gonidial cells, and that the gonidia so fertilized 

 give birth to the asci and paraphyses of the hymenium. At all 

 events, the matter is worthy of consideration, although it be non 

 proven. 



But then another question arises. If this be so, what are the 

 spermogones and pycnides of lichens ? and what their functions ? 



Pycnides are very rare, and are regarded generally by many as 

 parasitic fungilli. More than one kind of spermogonium has been 

 observed on the thallus of some lichens, and it is in such case 

 difficult to say which is the true allied one. Nor have the contents 

 of the spermogonium, the spermatia, been ever observed to exercise 

 any fertilizing process on the apothecia, even in a young state, 

 and moreover they also co- exist with the mature apothecia. Are, 

 then, these spemiogonia the male or fertilizing organs of lichens, or 

 are they parasitic- fungilli in an incipient or imperfect state, i.e., 

 having free spores not included in asci ? And is fertilization not 

 effected by them or their spermatia, but rather by the zoospores 

 proceeding from the gonidia ? Who will decide ? 



