1 38 ASCOMYOETES. 



The genera placed in the Gymnoasci are : Dipodascus, Erc- 

 mascus, Ascoidea, Protomyces, Taphrina, JExoascus, Magnusiclla, 

 Saccharomyecs, Monospora, Endomyces, Podocapsa, Ercmothecium, 

 Oleina, llo r^Uinia, Ascodcsmus, Gymnoascus, Ctenomyces. 



Protomyces, Taphrina, Exoascus, Magnusidla, are true parasites 

 of higher plants: Endomyces, Ascoidea, and Saccharomyccs occur in 

 the flux diseases of trees ; the others are saprophytes, or 

 parasites on fungi (Podocapsa}. 



Protomyces. 1 



The genus Protomyces possesses a septate mycelium, and 

 in this shows relationship with the higher fungi. It is also 

 distinguished by the formation of sporangia (asci), which are 

 produced in an intercalary manner like the chlamydospores of 

 the Ustilagineae. Conidia are also developed, which sprout 

 yeast-like and conjugate like those of many Ustilagineae. 

 Thus Protomyces stands in one direction between the sporangi- 

 ferous lower fungi and the Ascomycetes, and in another between 

 the Ascomycetes and the non-sporangiferous Ustilagineae. 

 Brefeld allocates them with the Ascoidea and Theleboleae to 

 his intermediate group the Hemiasci. De Bary (Comparative 

 Morphology of the Fungi) agrees with Fisch in placing them 

 between the Chytridiaceae and Ustilagineae, but in his "Beitragen" 

 considers them as the simplest forms of Ascomycetes. 



In any case they do not show very close relationship with 

 any group. 



Protomyces macrosporus, Ung. (Britain). This parasite lives 

 by means of an intercellular septate mycelium in leaves and stems 

 of Umbelliferae, especially Aegopodium Podagraria, ChacropJi /////>/// 

 liirsutum, Heradeum Sphond.ylium, etc. It also causes injury to 

 cultivated carrots. 



The disease shows itself externally as pustule-like swellings 

 on the organs attacked. These are caused, as shown in the 

 figures, by a mycelium which pierces the epidermis, and, after 



1 De Bary, Untfrsuchumjen ub. d. Brand pihe, n. <l. (lurch sie verursachten 

 Krankheiten <1. i'ftanzen. Berlin, 1853. 



De Bary u. Woronin, Bcitraije z. Mor]>h. u. PhyxloL d. Pilze, I. Bel., 1864. 



Fisch, Beitragt z. Kenntniss d. Chytridiacaen, 1884, p. 41. 



Brefeld, Uefepilze, p. 176. 



B. Meyer, " Untersuchungeii ub. die Entwickeluiig einig. parasit. Pilze bei 

 saprophyt. Ernahrung. " Inaugural Dissertation, 188S. 



