SECTION XV. 



MORPHOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION 

 OF CERTAIN TECHNICALLY IMPORTANT HIGHER 

 ASCOMYCETES AND ALLIED FORMS. 



CHAPTER LVI. 



MORPHOLOGY AND SUBDIVISION OF THE FAMILY 



ASPERGILLACE^E. 

 BY PROF. DR. CARL WEHMER. 



282. Systematic Position and Classification of the 

 Aspergillaeeae. 



THE systematic position (as Ascomycetes] of the Aspergillacece 

 a family rendered chemically interesting and technically important 

 by many of its representatives has already been denned on 

 p. 100 of the present volume. Consequently we have now chiefly 

 to deal briefly with its subdivision. 



The Aspergillacece, which stand next to the Gymnoascece, but 

 are distinguished from these latter by the possession of carpoasci 

 surrounded by an integument, differ from the majority of Car- 

 poascece (Pyrenomycetes, Discomycetes)'by the irregular distribution 

 of the asci in the carpoascus, and, on the other hand, from the 

 otherwise similar truffle-like f ungi (Elaphomycetes and Terfeziacecv) 

 which mostly produce large subterranean fruit by the small- 

 ness of their carpoasci. The asci in there fruits which for the 

 most part do not burst open in ripening, but either remain 

 closed or else break up irregularly develop 2-8 monocellular 

 spores. According to the character of the carpoasci, and more 

 especially in accordance with the structure of the highly divergent 

 conidiophores which often predominate or are present exclusively 

 ED. FISCHER (II.) has latterly divided the family into twelve 

 genera. SCHROTER (I.) in 1893 counted only four, whilst 

 G. WINTER (IV.) in 1887 allocated the genera of this family to 

 the sub-order of Ferisporiacece (see p. 100, vol. ii.). 



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