52 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 



5. Gastroviycctes. (Puff-balls, earth-stars, bird's-nest fungi, 



stink-horns.) 



6. Saccharomycetes. (Yeast-plant.) 



7. Gymiioascece. (Leaf-curl of peach, plum-pockets, etc.) 



8. TjthcracecE. (Truffles.) 



9. PyreJiotnycctes. (Black fungi, ergot, powdery mildews.) 



10. Lzchenes.* (Lichens.) 



11. Discomyceies. (Morels, cup-fungi, etc.) 



13 1. Besides the above there are a large number of fungi 

 that are mould-like or are parasitic on leaves, forming "leaf- 

 spots." These are called Fungi iwpcrfccii, because of the fact 

 that some of them are known to be the early stages of certain 

 ascomycetous fungi. The mould-like forms are known as 

 Hyph imycetes. 



\2,2.. The Bryophytes include forms whose plant-body 

 varies from a thallus to a distinct leafy axis, containing only 

 a rudimentary fibro-vascular system, if any; their life-history 

 involves two alternating phases : (1) A highly organized sexual 

 phase producing antherids and archegones ; and (2) A sporo- 

 gonial phase living parasitically on the first and producing 

 spores asexually. This division contains three well-marked 

 classes : 



1. HcpaticcE. (Liverworts.) 



2. SphagnacecE. (Peat-mosses.) 



3. JSliisci. (True mosses.) 



1 33. The Pteridophytes have a well-developed fibro- 

 vascular system of highly-developed tissues distributed through 

 a leafy axis. Their life-history also involves two phases: (i) A 

 thalloid phase (prothallus) producing antherids and arche- 

 gones,! and (2) A highly-developed asexual phase producing 

 spores by cell-division. 



(The subdivisions of this group are more fully arranged in 

 another portion of this work : see pp. 75-148.) 



* The lichens may be placed here provisionally. Their relations to the 

 other groups of fungi have not yet been fully determined. 



+ From this character the Bryophytes and Pteridophytes are sometimes 

 called Arche^oniata^ to which group some also add the Gymnosperms. 



