116 CURREY, ON FUNGI. 



difficult to see in what way the spore in this case diflfers from 

 an asciis^ for although the spores which are produced in asci 

 usually escape and become free before commencing germina- 

 tion^ the contrary is by no means uncommon. I did not see 

 any germination except from the extremities of the spores, 

 but it is very possible that in their natural condition gei*ms 

 may be thrown out from the intermediate endochromes, or 

 the whole coat of the spore may dissolve and set the separate 

 endochromes fi-ee. What is perhaps more singular even 

 than the germination of the fragments of the spores, is the 

 fact that the same thing takes place with the fragments of 

 the flocci. Fig. 5 shows two such fragments, in which 

 processes, precisely similar to the germ-filaments of the 

 spores, have been protruded from each extremity. It is easy 

 to distinguish the fi'agments of flocci from the spores, the 

 former having real septa, which are not to be formd in the 

 latter. The septate appearance which, according to the 

 figure in the ' Annals of Natural History,' exists some- 

 times in the spores of this species, would be produced by the 

 contact of the endochromes, and not by the existence of real 

 partitions. It is very important, in describing the spores of 

 fungi generally, to distinguish between real septa and those 

 which are only apparent. 



Helminthosporium funiosum. {Dactylium fumosum, Corda, 

 'Flore illustree de Mucedinees d'Europe,' pi. xxii.)^ — This in- 

 teresting addition to the British Helminthosporia occuiTed 

 in the neighbourhood of Blackheath, upon the dead stem of 

 some Umbelliferous plant. It was first described by Corda 

 in the work above mentioned, under the name of Dactylium, 

 fumosum, but it clearly belongs to Helminthosporium, and 

 has no affinity with Dactylium. The flocci are stiff and 

 erect, and, when ripe, of a very dark brown or almost black 

 colour, being so opaque that it is a matter of difficulty to 

 make out that they are septate. At the apices of the flocci 

 there originate several rows of almost colourless cells, 

 arranged in a moniliform manner, and spreading in different 

 directions. The spores are attached in rows at the ex- 

 tremities of the chains of cCTlourlcss cells, and are of a rich 

 brown colour, usually somewhat narrowed at each end, and 

 diridcd by several transverse lines having the appearance of 

 septa, but which I believe to be only lines formed by the 

 mutual pressure of the divisions of the endochromes. Fig. 6 

 represents three spores joined together, magnified 220 



* Tin's is tlie same work, as the ' Praclilflora Europaischer ScLininielbil- 

 (.luiigcu.' It was |)iil)lished both in French and Germau 



