108 M. C. Montagne's Organographic and Physiologic 



and persistent, or extremely thin and membranous, and breaking up 

 into little deciduous scales. The mode of bursting of the organ is 

 also slightly varied. Sometimes an irregular opening is formed at 

 the summit, as in Physarum ; sometimes it opens like a little box, as 

 Craterium ; sometimes the upper half falls, leaving a cup-shaped 

 base, as in Arcyria ; sometimes the membrane is so delicate, that it 

 is broken up entirely into deciduous scales, and leaves the naked 

 capillitium loaded with its sporidia, as in Stemonitis. But at the 

 time when the peridium is formed, its cavity is the seat of other 

 changes ; that of the sporidia on the one hand, of the filaments or 

 elastic fibres concerned in their dissemination on the other. The 

 filaments on which the sporidia repose are simple or branched, free 

 and loose, or anastomosing so as to form a net. In the Trichiacea* 

 they are spiral, and resemble the elaters of Hepaticte. Stiff and 

 brittle, they are glued and soldered one to another, so as to form 

 the septa of cells in which the sporidia are enclosed (e. g. Spumarid). 

 These fibres, which by their interlacing compose frequently elegant 

 net-work, are sometimes so supple and elastic, that when the peri- 

 dium is burst, they rise from the bottom of it resembling a coloured, 

 erect, or drooping plume of the most elegant fashion (e. g. Arcyria); 

 this is called capillitium. In the axis of the peridium, in many spe- 

 cies of this section, there is yet another organ, called columella or 

 stylidium. This, which is sometimes entirely wanting, seems to be 

 the continuation of the stem which penetrates more or less into the 

 peridium, and sometimes traverses its whole extent. It is sometimes 

 rudimental. When the columella exists, the reticulate fibres pro- 

 ceeding from the peridium. end, and are fixed upon it. 



As regards the sporidia, their metamorphosis takes place at the 

 same time as that of the filaments. Their immense quantity in 

 proportion to the size of the fungus is most remarkable. It seems, 

 indeed, as Fries says, as though the formation of the spores had ab- 

 sorbed aU the vegetative force. They separate from the mucdage 

 by the same unknown mechanism which solidifies and fashions all 

 the other organs. That they are at first attached to the filaments, 

 and afterwards separate from it, Mr. Berkeley's observation of the 

 morphosis of the sporidia in many genera of the following section 

 do not allow us to doubt ; however this may be, their metamorphosis, 

 studied and described from the life by Corda (Ic. Fung. ii. p. 22. t. 

 12. f. 87.), deserves every attention. We may indeed infer from 

 the figure just quoted, that in Stemonitis, where they are at first 

 chiiined together, their evolution takes place in the joints of a thread, 

 by the continuity of which they were united. If we consult analogy, 

 we are confirmed in this opinion in glancing on what takes place in 

 the morphosis of the sporidia of the genus Asterophoraf. In some 



* Corda, sur les fibres spirales des Trichiacees, Flora, 1838, p. 419. This 

 structure, however, was first noticed by Hedwig, Obs. Bot. Fasc. i. p. 14. 

 t. 10, 1 1. 1792 ; and again by Kunze, Myc. Heft ii. p. 94.— M. J. B. 



f Corda, Ic. Fung, iv, p. 8. t. 3. f. 24. Messrs. Leveille and Corda have 

 proved that this genus is parasitic on the pileus of a real Hymenomycete, 

 as the gills are covered with basidia charged with spores. We have also 

 observed the same structure. 



