FUNGI. INTRODUCTORY ^ , | 



a probable origin from organisms like the Red Algae : for they hrwc 

 a female carpogonium with trichogyne. But in many of them such 

 organs of sex have not been found, and there is reason to believe 

 that they are no longer sexually produced. They are divided into 

 two sub-classes, according to the method of production of their 

 spores. In the first the spores, commonly eight in number, arc pro- 

 duced internally within a closed body, the asciis. These are called 



Portion of the hymenium of the Morel 

 (Morchella esculenta). a=asci, each con- 

 taining eight ascospores. />= paraph yses. 

 sA=subhymenial tissue. ( x 240.) (After 

 Strasburger.) 



lie. 347. 

 Honey Agaric (Armtllaria tiuJUa). A, 

 young basidium with two prim.nry nuclei. 

 B, after fusion of the tu —a 



basidium of Hypholofi.i .:um 



before the four nuclei <: iho 



secondary nucleus of the i .\si 1; 1 ::i nave 

 passed into the four basidu^s pores. 

 Z) = passage of a nucleus into the baudio- 

 spore. (.After Kuhland.) (I lorn Stras- 

 burger.) 



ascospores^ and the sub-class the Ascomycetes (Fig. 346). To them 

 belong many Moulds, Ergot of Rye, the edible Truffle, etc. Examples 

 will be described in Chapter XXVIII. 



In the second sub-class the spores are produced cxter- 

 commonly to the number of four, upon a body called a basi.:... . 

 They are called basidiospores, and the sub- class the Basidiomycetes 

 (Fig. 347). To them belong the Mushrooms and Puff-balls ; also the 

 large series of parasitic Rusts, which being more primitive in their 

 characters than the rest, give probable clues to the origin v\ 

 Basidiomycetes. They will be described in Chapter XXIX. 



