296 H. MARSHALL WARD. 



displayed. In the Saprolegnise, for instance, the Fungi may 

 probably be looked upon as very highly nourished by the 

 decomposing proteids of animals.^ Their sexual organs seem 

 to be present in most cases, but functionless. 



In the Zygomycetes, which are essentially saprophytes on 

 decaying vegetable matter, &c., or parasitic on one another — 

 and may probably be regarded as not so highly nourished — 

 we find the sexual organs functionally perfect, though very 

 simple in character. 



In the Ustilagineee we meet with parasitism of a peculiarly 

 high order, so to speak. The fungus not only robs its host, 

 but has in most cases curiously adapted its life to the habits of 

 the latter, using it rather as a slave than as a victim to be 

 destroyed forthwith. 



The same is true for the highly-organised Uredineae 

 (iEcidiomycetes), and we here meet with the highest adapta- 

 tion of all, heteroecism. But in these two groups the search for 

 sexual organs has proved utterly futile (if we except the so-called 

 "copulation" of the ^'sporidia^^ in Ustilagineae, which 

 cannot be regarded as an essential process, or as sexual in the 

 above meaning). 



Again, if we proceed upwards from the Erysiphese, which 

 are epiphytes — adapting themselves to parasitic habits of that 

 special kind which leads to life in the interior of temporary 

 organs like leaves — through the Ascomycetes, we find, 

 speaking generally, more and more tendency towards close and 

 specially adapted parasitism, ending in the Lichens, the parasitic 

 Pezizas, forms like the Pleosporas, &c., and especially 

 Claviceps. 



Now it is at least remarkable that no trace of sexual organs 

 has yet been found in the higher Lichens — i. e. in those forms 

 in which the fungus makes a particularly well-regulated use of 

 its slave-like host, which is an Alga containing chlorophyll. 

 Krabbe^ considers that in Sphy ridium the fructification arises 



1 If not, indeed, by living flesh. Cf. Prof. Huxley, * Quart. Journ. Mic. 

 Sc.,' 1S82. 



2 ' Bot. Zeitg./ February, 1882, No. 5. 



