BUTLKR AND HAFIZ 



205 



the stromata, both those within the epidermal ceils and those on 

 the surface of the leaf. 



The sporophores are stout, erect, rather rigid h^^phie, which 

 arise from the peripheral cells of the stromata (PI. VI, Fig. 4). 

 They are usually unbranched, 3 to 10 septate, dark greenish-brown 

 below, paler above and several times bent or " geniculate." Spores 

 are produced at each bend and at the apex, the lowest being the 

 first formed and the bent condition being due to the spores being 

 always apical at first and being then pushed to one side by con- 

 tinued growth of the sporophore from just below the insertion of 

 the spore. The sporophores are 100 to 190 /x long, by 5*5 to 7-b ij. 

 broad. 



The spores (Pi. VI, Fig. 5) are borne singly and readily fall 

 ofi". They are cylindrical or long elliptical in shape, with ver}' 

 thick walls, and divided into from 4 to 1 1 compartments b}' broad 

 partitions. The colour varies from olive green to brown and 

 the size from 35 to 60 /x long, by 85 to 12 fx broad. 



Germination occurs rapidly (within 3 hours in some cases) 

 by the protrusion of a germ-tube from each end of the spore. At 

 the same time the internal partitions sometimes break down in 

 the centre (PI. VI, Fig. 6). Part of the mycelium formed from a 

 single spore culture in a hanging drop, is shown in the text fif^ure ; 



