524 



Mycological Bulletin No. 11 



[Vol V. 



MOULDS. 

 By David R. Sumstine. 



It is not necessary to go to the fields and the forest in search of plants. 

 The kitchen, the cupboard, the cellar, the manure heap about the barn, the 

 decaying vegetable matter about the garden or about the house have a 

 distinctive fiora as interesting as the flora of tield and forest. The plants 

 of the latter flora are more conspicuous, but the plants of the former 

 flora are just as beautiful and have just as interesting life history and in 

 the economy of nature are just as useful. 



There are many genera and species represented in this flora but only 

 a few belonging to the family Mucoraccac will be discussed at this time. 



These plants are commonly called Moulds, but all the so-called Moulds 

 do not properly belong to this family. This is especially true of the com- 

 mon green mould found on canned fruit. It belongs to an entirely dif- 

 ferent family. 



A piece of bread or sweet potato laid in a moist place for a few days 

 will produce plenty of specimens for study. It seems that the spores of 

 moulds float in the air and fall upon various substances. Whenever the 

 proper conditions of temperature and moisture are supplied the spores 

 germinate and develop. The .spores retain the power of germination for 

 a long time. 



A little observation will show the thread like mycelium spreading in 

 and upon the substratum. At different parts of the mycelium sporaiigio- 

 phores arise. At the top of the sporangiophores are developed the spor- 

 angia containing spores. 



The following species can be found almost anywhere during the sum- 

 mer months : 



Mucor uuicedo. a Si)orangio|)h()res. b Spores. 



I"lG. 24r>. Il 1 U.STRATIONS OF MdULDS. 



