158 A. W. BENNETT, 
is quite possible that in Saccharomyces it does not exist at 
all. 
The following scheme is proposed for a fresh classification 
of fungi:—The ScuizomycerTeEs form the starting-point,— 
unicellular fungi without fructification or sexual cells. Next 
to them stand Saccharomyces and Mycoderma, unicellular 
fungi, with fructification, but at present without sexual cells. 
They form the connecting link with the ZyGomyceETEs, 
filamentous fungi with fructification and sexual cells, the 
filaments in the vegetative condition being unicellular and 
unsegmented, and the two conjugating cells indistinguishable 
from oneanother. Near the Zygomycetes must probably be 
placed the MyxomycETEs in a distinct series, characterised by 
the union, not of two, but of several similar cells. Piptocephalis 
(the zygospore of which undergoes simple division) forms the 
transition from the Zygomycetes to the unicellular and unseg- 
mented Peronosporee and Saprolegniee on the one hand, and 
to the multicellular AscomycrersEs on the other hand, which 
for the first time manifest a distinction of male and female 
cells. The Ustilaginee and Entomophthoree must be consi- 
dered provisionally as a supplement to the Peronosporee, 
the Chytridinee as a supplement to the Saprolegniee, the 
sexual process being still undiscovered in these families. 
The passage to the Ascomycetes is through Gymnoascus, the 
higher forms showing a gradually more and more complicated 
receptacle produced by the process of impregnation, and sur- 
rounding the fertilised ascogonium. ‘The receptacle is neither 
unicellular nor filiform, but of complicated pseudo-parenchy- 
matous structure. From Gymnoascus the series proceeds 
towards the Hrysiphee, which furnish in Kurotium a passage 
to Penicillium, and thence to the Tuberacea. ‘The Erysiphee 
are also related to the Pyrenomycetes and Discomycetes. If 
we consider the ascus of the Ascomycetes as replaced by the 
spore-producing basidium, we get the Basidiomycetes, the 
most highly developed group of fungi. The receptacle of the 
Basidiomycetes is unquestionably of sexual origin, although 
the process by which it is formed is still unknown. The 
Basidiomycetes are divided into those which produce their 
Spores in succession (zcidia) and those which separate them 
all at the same time,—-the Gasteromycetes, Tremellini, and 
Hymenomycetes. 
