6 M. C. Montagne's Organographic and Physiologic 



The Coniomycetes, which are real parasites, grow on dead or hving 

 vegetables ; in the latter case they attack in preference herbaceous 

 plants, and rather the leaves than the stems, or the reproductive 

 organs, which unfortunately are not always exempt from their 

 ravages. It is in this class that the most injurious fungi are found, 

 jiroducing rust, bunt, mildew, &c.*, the scourge of farmers. It is 

 not my intention to describe these here. It is among plants of this 

 family that we observe that method of reproduction by division! 

 (" tomipare"), which we shall again notice in the following family. 

 With regard to the mode of generation and propagation of Coniomy- 

 cetes, I shall make some observations in the general remarks on the 

 class. 



Hyphomycetes, N. von E. 



This family is not distinguished from the foregoing X merely by 

 the presence of a vegetative system, as Fries supposes, for we have 

 just seen that a great number of Coniomycetes jjossess one. We 

 must then look for the difference in a higher degi-ee of development, 

 in a more complicated structure, and especially in the free evolution 

 of the mycelium and sporidia. 



It is divided into two grand sections, characterized by a filament- 

 ous stroma, but which differ in this, that in the one the sporidia are 

 naked or merely clothed with the same coat as the matrix, while in 

 the other they are at first contained in a sort of peridium, formed 

 by the swelling of the end of the filaments, from which they escape 

 when mature. 



The mycelium., though always free, is not alike in both these 

 sections. In the first its filaments form a sort of floccose stroma on 

 which the sporidia are fixed, or rather in the midst of which they 

 are dispersed ; these filaments are called flocci. 



In SporotrichacecE^ all the filaments recline upon the matrix, and 

 the spores, scattered amongst them, are in some degree covered by 

 them, as by a veil, an organ which we shall find more decided in 

 Fhaneromycetes . Here then the mycelium is confused with the 

 fertile or spore-bearing threads, or rather the whole plant consists 

 of mycelium. But in the Botrytidea these filaments are of two 

 kinds; the one erect and fertile (/oc« /erti/e.';), the other barren, 

 reclining on the matrix (hyphasma or hypopodium) . These may be 

 regarded as the vegetative system, from whence spring the former, 



* It is curious, that in England, rust, though often extremely abundant, 

 is seldom considered injurious, except perhaps to some of the new wheats, 

 though it appears to be very destructive in France. See Henslow, /. c. — 

 M. J. B. 



t Compare the observations of Mohl and otliers on the formation of cells. 

 — M. J. B. 



t It woidd be better perhaps to place this family first, at least if we adopt 

 a circular or reticulate system. There would then be a natural transition on 

 tlie one side to Hymenomycetes through Isaria, and on the otlier to some of 

 tlie more obscure Pyrenomycetes th'-oi'gh Stilbospora, &c. This is of course 

 on the supposition that Gastcromycetes be entirely reviewed. — M. J. B. 



§ It is however to be remarked, tliat most species of Sporotriclmm are 

 spurious. Tricholhfcium rosenin is in reality a DactyUuni, &c.— M. J. 13. 



