THALLOGENS. 105 



times assuming a membraneous, a tubercular, or a pulpy 

 form, and a fruit, or reproductive structure, which dif- 

 fers in different tribes. The essential reproductive or- 

 gans are spores, called also conidia, usually four, or some 

 multiple of four, attached to the cellular tissue, and sup- 

 ported on simple or branched filaments, (called conidio- 

 phores, or basidia,} or contained in sacs, (theca, cystidia, 

 or asci ; all of which words, derived from the Greek, 

 have similar meaning.) 



10. Fungi have been divided into six orders, as follows : 



i.) Hymenomycetes, (Gr. hymen, a membrane, and myces, 

 a fungus.) Mycelium inconspicuous, bearing fleshy fruits 

 which expand so as to expose the spore-bearing mem- 

 brane to the air. Mushrooms are well-known examples. 



2.) Gasteromycetes, (Gr.gaster, belly.) Fructifying sur- 

 face inclosed, as in Puff-balls. 



3.) Coniomycetes, (Gr. konis, powder.) The spawn or 

 vegetative part is reduced to a minimum, and the abun- 

 dant spores form a dusty or sometimes a gelatinous 

 mass. The rust and bunt of wheat and other grains are 

 instances. 



4.) Hyphomycetes, (hyphao, to weave.) The vegetative 

 part consists mostly of loose threads, as the naked seed 

 Molds. 



5.) Ascomycetes, (askos, a bag.) The sacs, or asci, con- 

 taining the sporidia are either packed into an exposed 

 hymenium, or line the interior of the fruit-bearing cysts, 

 as Truffles, etc. 



6.) Physomycetes, (physa, a bladder.) Mycelium fila- 

 mentous, bearing sacs, containing minute iporules, as the 

 common Bread-mold. 



