126 



PYRENOMYCETES. 



folded mycelium (Fig. 114 m, Fig. 115), formed of numerou 

 hyphse woven together and penetrating the wall of the ovary. 

 From these a number of hyphaB (Fig. 114 a) project into the air 

 and abstrict from their apices the conidia (6) which serve as repro- 

 ductive organs. The mycelium also secretes a sticky, stinking 

 fluid (honey-dew) in which the conidia are embedded in great 

 numbers. The honey-dew exudes from the bases of the glumes, 

 and is greedily sought by flies, which thus carry the conidia to- 

 other ovaries. In this manner fresh ears are infected, which might 



, 



Pis. 116. Chviceps purpnrea. A Sclerotium with stromata (cl) (x by 2). B Stroma- 

 divided longitudinally to show the perithecia (cp). C A perithecium with the surrounding- 

 hyphge(Jiy). D An ascus ruptured, with the eight filamentous ascospores emerging. 



escape were the conidia only distributed by the wind. This stage 

 formerly was regarded as an independent Fungus, known as Spha- 

 ceha segetum (Fig. 115). On germination, the conidia produce 

 either a new mycelium (Fig. 114 d, c), or new conidia. The SECOND 

 or SCLEROTIUM STAGE is the one in which the Fungus passes the 

 winter. The mycelium penetrates deeper and deeper into the 

 attacked ovaries, their tissues are destroyed and replaced by the 

 hyphas, which gradually become more and more felted together. 



