xxiv.] BARBERRY BLIGHT. 165 



growing in almost straight lines towards the centre. When 

 maturity is reached the spermogonium opens at the top, 

 and the contents burst through the epidermis of the bar- 

 berry leaf, as shown. At the time of bursting, the little 

 dark central mass turns up towards the burst point, and 

 the growth of the spermogone threads is continued through 

 the orifice, as shown at HH. The septate spermogone 

 threads, after they have reached the air, break up into 



x-300 



FIG. 85. 



Section through a Spermogonium of Mcidium Berberidis, Pers. 

 Enlarged 300 diameters. 



extremely small granules, and these granules are the 

 spermatia of botanists. They are supposed to be 1 

 grains belonging to a male organism, roughly answering 

 to the pollen of flowering plants. Most of the illustrations 

 of JEcidium spermogonia hitherto published are incorrect. 

 After the ^cidium cups and spermogonia are once 

 formed, most of the mycelium amongst the cells of the leaf, 



