320 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



together, so as to form a compact body ;- at others, more 

 or less separated, almost always disposed in a mass, 

 without any apparent order. These singular plants 

 never present either stomata, or vessels of any kind ; 

 their entire substance is composed only of a homogene- 

 ous mass, in which it is impossible to distinguish the 

 parts of the higher orders of plants. But some, who have 

 wished to adopt this kind of comparison, making 

 allusion to their colour and general appearance, have 

 compared Fungi to the roots of plants ; others, struck 

 with the caulescent form of some, have given them the 

 name of stems ; whilst some, from the appearance of 

 the species of Uredo, have compared them with the 

 pollen of phanerogamous plants; and others, perplexed by 

 the form of Erineum, have likened them to the hairs of 

 ordinary plants. 



The texture of Fungi is very variable; either soft, or 

 very hard ; fleshy, gelatinous, or coriaceous ; but never 

 presenting the usual dry state of the Lichens, nor the 

 herbaceous softness of the Algae. Their colour also 

 varies much, and sometimes even presents very vivid 

 tints ; but it is never green ; or, at least, if any greenish 

 tints are perceived, they appear to result from an entirely 

 different principle than the ordinary greenness of leaves. 

 No Fungus lives in water ; * almost all grow exposed to 

 the air ; some under ground, or buried in other living 

 plants ; although some grow in darkness, light appears 

 necessary for their complete development. 



The part of the Fungus which does not serve for the 

 reproduction (and which is called either the Thallus, as 

 in Lichens, or the Cormus, Peridium, or Stroma) 

 appears to be less developed when the fructiferous organs 

 are more so ; thus in Uredo and Puccinia, the whole 



Peziza aquatica appear to grow in the air, and to be covered over by 

 the water during its growth. 



