THALLOPHYTES : FUNGI 



75 



In certain conditions, however, these slimy bodies come 

 to rest and organize most elaborate and often very beau- 

 tiful sporangia, full of spores (Fig. 67). These varied 

 and easily preserved sporangia are used to classify the 



Fig. 67. Three common slime moulds (Myxomycetes) on decaying wood: to the 

 left above, groups of the sessile sporangia of Trichia ; to the right above, a group 

 of the stalked sporangia of Stemonitis, with remnant of old Plasmodium at base; 

 below, groups of sporangia of Hetniarcyria, with a Plasmodium mass at upper 

 left hand.— Goldbekueb. 



forms. Slime-moulds, or " slime-fungi," therefore, seem 

 to have animal-like bodies which produce plant-like spo- 

 rangia. 



52. Bacteria, — These are the " Fission-Fungi," or Schizo- 

 mycetes, and are popularly known as " bacteria," " baci.li," 

 " microbes," " germs," etc. They are so important and pe- 

 culiar in their life habits that their study has developed a 

 special branch of botany, known as " Bacteriology." In 

 many ways they resemble the Cyanophyceae, or "Fission- 

 Algae," so closely that they are often associated with them 

 in classification (see § 21). 



