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a temperature at least equal to that of boiling water, as 

 was satisfactorily proved a few years ago when the bar- 

 rack bread in Paris was affected with mould, which was 

 in active growth almost before the bread was cold. The 

 remarkable elastic force with which many of the fungi 

 eject their seed has often excited attention, and is fully 

 equal to anything of the same kind observed among the 

 flowering plants. In hot-houses, adhering to decaying 

 leaves, may occasionally be seen a curious little plant 

 called Sphaerobolus stellatus (Fig. 28), which bears no 



FIG. 28. SPHAEROBOLUS STELLATUS. 

 Natural size and magnified. 



inapt resemblance in its shape and functions to a LiK- 

 putian mortar. It is of a pale straw-colour, and consists 

 of two coats, both stellated, and separated from each 

 other by a bead of dew exuded by the plant. The rays 

 of the outer case are orange. No sooner is the inner 

 case touched, than it becomes suddenly inverted, and 

 shoots forth, with a loud jerk, a little pellucid ball to a 

 distance of upwards of three feet. This ball or sporangium 

 contains the seeds, and is ejected with a force which, 

 considering the nature and diminutive size of the plant, 



