MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOOxY. 51 



ing definite is known regarding their function. Some 

 investigators suppose them to be tlie male reproductive 

 organs of lichens; others are inclined to look upon 

 them as parasitic fungi. Many lichenologists have 

 made the sad mistake of considering them as of great 

 importance in classification ; as such they are of little 

 significance, because they are too variable in their oc- 

 currence, and too closely similar in structure. The so- 

 called Pycnidia are closely related to the Spermagonia. 

 It is not at all likely that the reader will care to 

 make any careful examination of the spermagonia. 

 Should he, however, do so, he will find that each sper- 

 magonium resembles a small apothecium. In place of 

 the thecium occur hyphal branches {sterigmata) on 

 which minute acicular or rod-shaped bodies {sper- 

 matia) are borne. 



