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must be regarded as ascigerous, but the asci are frequently absent 
or changed into naked spores. Thus, he considers Sphceria 
acuta with naked spores, as a degenerate state of Sphceria rostel 
lata with ascigerous fruit. Guided, therefore, by a keen eye for 
affinity, he does not allow endosporous or exosporous fruit to form 
a character of generic value, scarcely, indeed, of specific import- 
ance. And in such Genera as Diplodia, Hendersonia, &c., he 
regards the fruit not as true spores, naked fruit, but rather as 
asci containing the fruit, inasmuch as the spores are attached to 
the perithecium by little stalks or basidia, as is the case with 
asci; while in truly endosporous species the fruit is produced free 
within the asci, by what is called differentiation of their contents. 
Tulasne has taken a somewhat different view of matters. He 
remarks that Fungi, like higher plants, are propagated by vari- 
ous methods, and he has shown that many of those cases which 
Fries regards as degenerate or abnormal fruit are, in reality, dis- 
tinct means provided by nature for the continuation of the 
species ; thus, as in the Tiger-lily, the plant can be reproduced 
by seed or by buds, formed in the axils of the leaves, so in the 
plants I am now considering, some of the species can be propa- 
gated by naked spores arising from the early condition of the 
threads, or mycelium, conidia; or, secondly, by more highly organ- 
ized spores, which he calls stylospores produced on little stalks, 
naked ; or, thirdly, by fruit produced in asci, sporidia, and he 
considers that all these forms of fruit frequently belong to a 
single species. This theory, if shown to be true in a few instances, 
will probably hold good in all, and eventually lead to the dis- 
missal of a vast horde of so-called Genera and species from their 
position as such, and to their incorporation with other forms. 
But a great deal of patient research and investigation, and many 
favouring circumstances are necessary before all the described 
species can find their proper resting-plaee and be included in one 
system. Perhaps it may be of interest to mention a few cases 
tending in this direction which have occurred in our own district. 
