214 Plant Life and Evolution 



specific characters of the parasite must have been 

 developed as late, at least, as those of the host. A 

 curious case is that of the parasitic fungus, Syn- 

 chytrium papillatum, which at present is known only 

 from California, where it sometimes grows abun- 

 dantly upon a weed, Erodium, which is supposed 

 to have been introduced from Europe, not more 

 than two hundred or three hundred years ago. 

 The fungus is not known to occur in Europe, nor 

 has it been found upon any native Calif ornian plant. 

 It would be interesting to know, whether we have 

 a new species arising from some native fungus which 

 has adapted itself to a new host, and thus developed 

 new specific characters, or whether it is merely a 

 case of an imported fungus which has developed 

 more luxuriantly in its adopted home. 



How far the more or less complete suppression 

 of the sexual reproduction, which has been observed 

 in so many of the fungi, is due to degeneration, 

 consequent upon their habits, is not possible to de- 

 termine. 



STORAGE ORGANS 



In the economy of the plant it often becomes 

 necessary to provide storage organs upon which 

 the plant can draw at certain times. This 

 is seen in its simplest form in the spores of 

 the lower plants, which are packed with various 

 nutritive substances like starch and oil, which fur- 



