130 PRACTICAL BOTANY. 



and, mounting in water, examine under a high power. 

 Observe 



1. That the same mycelium which bears the conidio- 

 phores also produces relatively thin whip-like branches, 

 with highly refractive contents. 



2. That some of these branches become coiled, at 

 first loosely, but later in a tightly packed spiral of four 

 or five coils, and consisting of several cells : these spirals 

 are the archicarps. 



3. That first one, and subsequently several hyphal 

 branches appear below the closely coiled archicarp, 

 forming an investment round it : the first formed branch 

 is called the pollinodium (male organ), and comes in 

 close contact with the apex of the coiled archicarp. 



The actual transmission of substance from the pollinodium to 

 the archicarp has not been seen, but observations point to the 

 disappearance of the membrane separating them, and thus 

 continuity appears to be established between the two protoplasmic 

 bodies. 



B. From a culture of some six weeks' duration on dry 

 bread pick off with a needle some of the minute 

 spherical perithecia : mount them in water, and examine 

 under a low power : observe 



1. The round or oval form of the perithecia. 



2. That they are composed of a small-celled pseudo- 

 parenchymatous tissue. 



3. Their yellow colour. 



4. Their insertion, each being borne on a single 

 filament of mycelium. 



The yellow colour is due to an oily substance, which 

 is soluble in alcohol, or in potash solution. 



