Prof. H. Karsten on the Fecundation of the Fungi. 11 



expanded, and thus could be more clearly recognized than when 

 imbedded in the turbid cell-juice within their mother cell. 



From the lower parts of both branches, that bearing the cylin- 

 drical, as well as that bearing the oval terminal cell, small rami- 

 fications had sprouted (tig. 2) . Similar ramifications occurred 

 on others in greater quantity. They curved over the oval 

 terminal cell (which had in the meanwhile -grown larger), and 

 removed this entirely from observation, not only by their own 

 presence, but especially by theii- speedily collecting between 

 them a quantity of air insoluble in water. 



But in this stage of development these two cells were not 

 always so distinctly perceptible by their uncovered inferior ex- 

 tremity as in the case represented in fig. 3 : the rudiment of the 

 fruit, when it had attained this small size and acquired a more 

 or less globular form, was usually seated immediately upon the 

 mycelium-filament. 



Sometimes I detected among these mycelium-filaments, after 

 the removal of the air by the air-pump, the vertex of a simple 

 thin-walled cell, of about twice the size of the free oval branch- 

 cell. Twice I succeeded in isolating the cell partially from the fila- 

 ments enveloping it — that is to say, in separating the upper part, 

 embracing two-thirds of the entire cell, from the latter; the 

 inferior third was always so amalgamated with the filaments, 

 which here lie closer together, that it remained united therewith 

 (fig. 4). The very delicate membrane was somewhat folded 

 and rumpled; cellular contents could be detected in neither 

 case, but only a covering of the inner surface with an irregularly 

 distributed yellowish plasma. It could not be decided whether 

 this coating of the wall indicated the previous presence of deli- 

 cate endogenous cells, which might perhaps have collapsed by the 

 water having penetrated into the larger mother cell and pressed 

 upon its wall. 



In somewhat further developed rudimentary fruits (figs. 5, 

 6, 7) I have been equally unable, by preparation with needles, 

 to set free the hitherto nearly central cell, overgrown by myce- 

 lium-filaments from beneath, or to detect any indication of it. 

 Nor did anatomical examination with the aid of the knife fur- 

 nish any satisfactory results for the formation of a clear notion 

 of the further course of development of the fecundated ovicell*, 



* If we are to regard the development of the fruit of the Fungi as a 

 consequence of the cooperation of the two cells above described, and 

 therefore to recognize in it a process analogous to the action of the pollen 

 upon the embryo-sac, and characterizable as sexual, the oval j)odunculated 

 mother cell of the Fungus-fruit will correspond with the ovule of the 

 Phanerogamia, as well as with the archegouium of the Cry])t()gamia, and 

 is to be compared with a nuked nucleus of the ovum, or the central cell of 



