CHAPTER VIII. 



SUB-KINGDOM III. 

 FUNGI. 



THE name " Fungi " has been given to a vast assemblage of 

 plants, varying much among themselves, but on the whole of 

 about the same structural rank as the algae. Unlike the 

 algae, however, they are entirely destitute of chlorophyll, and 

 in consequence are dependent upon organic matter for food, 

 some being parasites (growing upon living organisms), others 

 saprophytes (feeding on dead matter). Some of them show 

 close resemblances in structure to certain algae, and there is 

 reason to believe that they are descended from forms that 

 originally had chlorophyll j others are very different from any 

 green plants, though more or less evidently related among 

 themselves. Recognizing then these distinctions, we may 

 make two divisions of the sub-kingdom : I. The Algo-Fungi 

 (Phycomycetes), and II. The True Fungi (Mycomycetes}. 



CLASS I. Phy corny cetes. 



These are fungi consisting of long, undivided, often branch- 

 ing tubular filaments, resembling quite closely those of Vau- 

 cheria or other Slphonece, but always destitute of any trace of 

 chlorophyll. The simplest of these include the common moulds 

 (Mucorini), one of which will serve to illustrate the character- 

 istics of the order. 



If a bit of fresh bread, slightly moistened, is kept under a 

 U 



