88 



Minnesota Plant Life. 



pillar fiing-us, the black knot and all the other sac-ftingi, arise 

 as a necessary consequence of some fusion of cells, equivalent 

 to that which took place in the black moulds. In the stalk- 

 fungi, to which group the mushrooms, puff-balls, club-fungi and 

 all their relatives belong, it is not so certain that a breeding-act 

 is alwavs the necessary precursor of the fruit-l)od_\-. but there is 

 much good evidence in 

 favor of such a supposi- 

 tion. 



All of the fungi which 

 have been considered up 

 to this point may be re- 

 garded as derived from 

 certain of the lower algrc, 

 while the bacteria — yet 

 to be discussed — are very 

 closely related to the 

 blue-green algae. The al- 

 gal fungi seem, for the 

 most part, to be connect- 

 ed with the pond-scums. 

 leading over to such 

 forms as the black mould, 

 or with the green felts. 

 leading over to mildews 

 and fish-moulds. It is 

 reasonable to suppose 

 that all of the higher 

 fungi which have thus far 

 been i)assed in re\'iew are 

 derived, by a continuous 

 series of improvements, 

 from the algal fungi. 



Root-fungi. There are a few rather remarkable types of 

 fungi which should be treated separately. One of these is not 

 commonly known to make fruits of any sort. and. since botan- 

 ists depend ui)on fruit-bodies as the basis of their classification, 

 it is dirficull lo sa\ where the>e fungi about to be considered 

 should be placed in the general system. They will be found 



I-'iG, ii-l. 'ruiii-fuiifjiis on currant canes. .^ftcr 

 Diuaiul. r.iill. li"). Cornell K.xpt. ."Station. 



