CURREY, ON REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF FUNGI. 195 



tions of the threads of the mycelium. In some specimens 

 the grape-like bunches of spores were literally floating in a 

 sea of these conidia, which were so numerous that I can only 

 compare them to the mass of similar bodies which may be 

 seen under the microscope at any time by moistening a spe- 

 cimen of Tubercularia vul/jaris. These conidia spring laterally 

 from the threads upon which they grow, and are, I think, pro- 

 duced in moniliform rows. They can seldom, however, be 

 observed zw situ, on account of the rapidity with which they 

 are shed when the plant is moistened. Fig. 6 represents 

 several of these conidia magnified 500 diameters. 



In the Uredines, where the dimorphism, or rather poly- 

 morphism, of the fruit has been so clearly established, the 

 constant occurrence in the same matrix of the different sorts 

 of spores was observed long before it was proved that these 

 varieties were the produce of the same mycelium. Now 

 Asterosporium Hoffmanni is, as I have mentioned, a common 

 plant, and Mijriocephalum botryosjjorum, although it is not 

 nearly so well known, and has not, as far as 1 am aware, ever 

 been found in this country before, has, nevertheless, been 

 noticed by several continental mycologists, none of whom, 

 however, have suggested the identity of the two, or have even 

 mentioned their association in growth. Fries, in the ' Summa 

 Vegetabilium Scandinavia^,' has noticed the close connexion 

 existing between H>/j)cro'niyxa, Mx)rioccphalum, Asterosporiuin, 

 and the SfUhosporai in general. He says, speaking of the two 

 former, " Mediante Asterosporio cum veris Stilbosporis mani- 

 festo seriem contiguam sistunt : omnibus eadem genesis 

 vegetatio, stroma mucoso-floccosum, e. s. p." Even Fries, 

 however, has not suggested the identity which I hope to have 

 established. 



These remarks must not be considered as being made at 

 all with the view of magnifying the importance of the dis- 

 covery, but solely for the purpose of calling attention to 

 the fact, that since so many distinguished mycologists have 

 had both plants under their observation, and have not noticed 

 their association, it is probable that the occurrence of the two 

 kinds of fruit contemporaneously is a circumstance of rare 

 occurrence. We know little, if anything, of the atmospheric 

 conditions necessary for the favourable growth of particular 

 Fungi ; the mycelium of Agaricus strobiliformis has been 

 known to lie dormant for 14 years, and yet the Agaric, the 

 fruit of that mycelium, has appeared after that lapse of time 

 true to its former locality. May not the coexistence of the 

 two fruits of the Asterosporium be dependent upon peculiar 

 atmospheric conditions, and be of as unfrequent occurrence ? 



