HIDDEN MARRIAGES 541 



the bark and the wood, and ultimately attains to a flat, horny network, 

 known as a Rhizomorph, such as we have already illustrated (fig. 181). 

 Another form taken by the mycele of certain species of Fungus is known 

 as a sclerotium. The best-known example of these sclerotia is afforded by 

 Ergot (Claviceps), which 

 grows upon Rye and other 

 grasses, and is used as a 

 medicine in special cases. 

 The Ergot spores floating 

 in the air, or carried by an 

 insect, alight on the flowers 

 of grasses, and there germi- 

 nating, the mycele enters 

 the ovary and feeds upon 

 its contents. Instead of the 

 ovule developing into a 

 "grain" or seed, there 

 emerges from the ovary a 

 long, black, curved body, 

 the sclerotium, which con- 

 sists of hardened mycelium, 

 and bears upon its surface 

 conidia, or chains of spores. 

 These sclerotia are shown 

 in fig. 686 on the grass 

 Molinia cterulea. When 

 fully developed they fall to 

 the ground, and remain 

 quiescent through the win- 

 ter ; but in spring slender 

 little mushroom-like bodies 

 grow out of them. AVithin 

 the globose heads the spores 

 are produced, which, escap- 

 ing into the air, get into 

 the flowers of grasses and 

 renew the cycle. Other 



tT\ ' i Photo by] [E. Step. 



species ot i ungi also pro- 



? FIG. 686. ERGOT (Claviceps microcephala). 



dUCe SClerOtia, but the ex- On the grass MoUnia ccerulea. The large curved bodies are the sclerotia 



ample given must suffice. which fal1 to the earth ' and in sprin? give rise to the sporophores - 



The illustrations to this chapter will serve to give some idea of the 

 striking differences of form in the sporophores of the various groups into 

 which the Fungi have been divided. These are too numerous to be 

 examined in detail here; we can only glance at a few of the different 



