ASCIGEROUS FUNGI— ASCOMYCETES 171 



]uay infer that the process is similar, if shghtly modified, 

 in all. 



It has already been intimated that the highest development 

 of paraphyses is found in Discomyceteae, or such of the Ascomy- 

 ceteae as have the disc exposed, and we would suggest that 

 their function in such cases, in part at least, seems to be the 

 protection of the disc, or rather the apices of the asci, and to 

 prevent too great evaporation consequent upon the exposure 

 of the hymenium. In closed perithecia, such as are found in 

 Pyrenomycetcs, the paraphyses are often insignificant ; and in 

 the Tubcraccae, which are wholly immersed and preserved from 

 the light, paraphyses are as nearly as possible obsolete. All 

 which tends to support the theory of the functions of paraphyses 

 above suggested. 



The relationship of the Ascomyceteae with the other orders of 

 Fungi has been the subject of some speculation, and has origin- 

 ated more than one theory, which we need not stay to discuss. 

 The Ascomyceteae and the Basicliomyceteae may be two parallel 

 groups, and we will leave them at that, but the Ascomyceteae 

 have in some of their species been shown to be associated with 

 such imperfect Fungi as the Hyphomyceteac, the Sphaeropsideae, 

 and the Melanconieae ; but because some of the species are 

 known to be so related, it is taking too hazardous a leap to 

 affirm that all the latter are merely transitional forms of the 

 former, and should not be regarded as autonomous. Massee 

 has truly said, in reference to this subject : — " The divisions 

 called Melanconieae, Sphaerop)sideae, and Hypliomyeeteac include 

 over eight thousand species from all parts of the world. Out 

 of this number less than one hundred have been clearly proved 

 by cultures to be forms of species belonging mostly to the 

 Ascomyceteae; yet on the strength of this small percentage of 

 proved cases, the three groups are entirely omitted in the 

 schemes of classification given by De Bary and Brefeld, imply- 

 ing that all are considered merely as form-species — a supposition 

 which may be quite correct, but is far from being proved, and 

 not altogether countenanced by the investigations of these same 

 authors, who claim to have shown that in some of the Asco- 

 myceteae the gonidial stage is completely lost. De Bary and 

 his followers do not, as a rule, accept the ' special creation ' 



