IN THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 41 



in scientific works. The consequence has been the esta- 

 blishment of a great number of spurious genera and species, 

 and the inextricable confusion of a subject, involved from 

 its very nature in much perplexity. Thus the numerous 

 species assigned to Sclerotium are in reality perhaps none of 

 them proper or autonomous, but only transitory conditions 

 of Fungi already known by other names, such as Peziza, 

 Sphceria, Agaricus, &c., which in maturity differ as widely 

 as can well be conceived.* 



Great progress, however, has lately been made by the 

 researches of MM. Tulasne and others in tracing out the 

 reproductive process in this group ; and, though we are 

 still far from being in a position to draw positive conclu- 

 sions, there appear to be good grounds for the opinion that 

 organs of sexual import are very generally present. There 

 is, indeed, a general agreement as to the male element being 

 represented by the spermatia, minute staff-like bodies, 

 somewhat resembling the supposed antherozoids of the red- 

 spored algae. These particles have no cilia nor any motile 

 powers beyond what may be accounted for on physical 

 principles, and the received views as to their functional 

 import rest less on any positive evidence than on analogy, 

 and on their not possessing any power of germination. 

 They have not been met with, save exceptionally, in the 

 higher Fungi, but have now been very generally detected in 

 other divisions of the order. They are usually attached to 

 filaments which are either associated with the organs 

 bearing the fertile spores, or occupy distinct receptacles."!* 



The true spores, which have been seen to germinate, are 

 developed in the interior of cells, or are attached to their 

 exterior. External or naked spores are met with both in 

 the Hyphomycetes or moulds, and in the higher divisions of 



* Berkeley's Cryptogamic Botany, p. 268. 



f Tulasne, Comptes Eendus. March 31, 1851. See also Annals of 

 Nat. Hist., 2d Ser., VIII., 117. 



