271 



357. The female organ is in this division called a car- 

 pogonium, which consists of a single cell (e.g., Coleochcete, 

 some Ascomycetes, and the Characece), or of several cells (e.g., 

 Floridece and most Ascomycetes). In some cases a projec- 

 tion, called the trichogyne, is attached to the carpogoniutu ; 

 its function appears to be the conveyance to the carpogonium 

 of the fertilizing influence received from the antheridium. 



358. The antheridium is here, as el.-ewhere throughout 

 the Cryptogams, much more variable in structure than the 

 female organ. In some cases it is applied to the carpogo- 

 nium in fertilization, while in others it produces spermato- 

 zoids ; in either case contact with the carpogonium is either 

 direct (Podosphcera, Characece), or indirect, through a tri- 

 chogyne (e.g., Coleochcete, Floridece, Peziza). 



359. The plant-body shows in general a more perfect 

 development in the Carposporeaa than in the preceding di- 

 visions. While it is but little developed in the parasitic and 

 saprophytic species, it is well developed in many of the Flo- 

 ridece and the Characece. In these classes there is often a 

 considerable amount of differentiation of the plant-body 

 into caulome and phyllome. 



I. COLEOCHjETE. 



360. The genus Coleochcete maybe taken to represent the 

 simplest form of sexual reproduction in this division. The 

 species are all small green fresh-water plants, composed of 

 dichotomously branching filaments, which are arranged ra- 

 di;illy upon a central disc (or sometimes arranged upon irreg- 

 ularly branched threads) ; the diameter of each cushion- 

 like ma^s is from 1 to 2 mm. (.04 to .08 in.). 



361. Reproduction takes place both sexually and asexu- 

 ;illy. The latter is by means of zoospores whicli arise in the 

 vegetative cells, by the protoplasmic contents becoming, in 

 each case, converted into a single spherical bi-ciliated zoo- 

 spore, which escapes through a round hole in the cell-wall 

 (D, Fig. 183). 



362. The sexual organs and process bear some resem- 

 blance to those of CEdogoninceae. The female organ, the 



