114 ASCOMYCETES. 



pulcR on Onions. U. liola forms large dark-violet swellings in the leaf-stalk 

 and stems of Violets. Thecaphora (Fig. 102) appears in seedlings of Con- 

 volvulus and Astragalus. 



As a means of protection against the Smut -Fungi which make their appear- 

 ance on the different cereals, a submersion of the grains in a solution of blue 

 vitriol (J%) for twelve hours, or better still, submerging for five minutes in 

 water heated to 53-55 C (Jensen's method) is employed. 



Fro. 10?. Tliecaplora. 1, T. convolvuli, a ball of spores, one of the brand-spores has emitted 

 a fceptate branched conidiophore ( x 520). 2, T. affmis, a ball of spores (x 520). 



Class 3. Mycomycetes, Higher Fungi. 



The MYCOMYCETES are not entirely aquatic in habit ; they have- 

 hyphse with transverse walls', sexual reproduction in only few 

 cases. The asexual reproduction takes place in very different 

 ways; by endospores (in asci), conidia, basidiospores, chlaniy- 

 dospores, and oidia. Swarmspores are never found. 



Two chief methods of reproduction may be distinguished, and 

 hence the class may be divided into two large sub-classes : the 

 ASCOMTCETES (with asci), and the BASIDIOMYCETES (with basidia). 



Sub-Class 1. Ascomycetes. 



The main characteristic which distinguishes the Ascomycetes is- 

 the ascus ; a name given to a sporangium of a definite shape and 

 size, and containing a definite number of spores. The shape is. 





