180 FUNGI. 



of tracing them in their relations to the bodies with which they 

 are associated are very great. Nevertheless there is strong pre- 

 sumption in favour of regarding some of them as performing 

 the functions which the name applied to them indicates. 



Professor de Bary cautiously refrains from accepting spermatia 

 other than as doubtful or at least uncertain sexual bodies.* He 

 says that the Messrs. Tulasne have supposed that the spermo- 

 gonia represented the male sex, and that the spermatia were 

 analogous to spermatozoids. Their opinion depends on two 

 plausible reasons, the spermatia, in fact, do not germinate, 

 and the development of the spermogonia generally precedes 

 the appearance of the sporophorous organs, a double circum- 

 stance which reminds us of what is known of the spermato- 

 zoids and antheridia of other vegetables. It remained to 

 discover which were the female organs which underwent 

 fecundation from the spermatia. 



Many organs placed at first amongst spermatia have been 

 recognized by M. Tulasne as being themselves susceptible of 

 germination, and consequently ought to take their place among 

 legitimate spores. Then it must be considered that very many 

 spores can only germinate under certain conditions. It is, 

 therefore, for the present a doubtful question whether there 

 exist really any spermatia incapable of germination, or if the 

 default of germination of these corpuscles does not rather 

 depend on the experiments hitherto attempted not having in- 

 cluded the conditions required by the phenomena. Moreover, 

 as yet no trace has been discovered of the female organs which 

 are specially fecundated by the spermatia. 



Finally, there exist in the Ascomycetes certain organs of 

 reproduction, diverse spore-bearing apparatus, pycnidia, and 

 others, which, like the spermogonia, usually precede asco- 

 phorous fruits. The real nature of the spermogonia and 

 spermatia should therefore be regarded as, at present, very 

 uncertain; as regards, however, the spermatia which have 

 never been seen to germinate, perhaps it is as well not to 

 absolutely reject the first opinion formed concerning them, or 

 * De Bary, "Morphologie und Physiologic der Pilze," cap. v. p. 168. 



