71 



THE LYCOPODIACEXE. 



their food as other plants do, and so have set up a part- 

 nership with a fungus which is always present and aids 

 in the work. The prothallia of certain exotic species liv- 

 ing on trees are slender, much-branched structures and 

 are saprophytic, that is, they live, like the mushrooms, 



upon the decayed 

 vegetable matter in 

 their vicinity. Be- 

 cause of this asso- 

 ciated fungus it is a 

 difficult matter t o 

 grow the prothallia 

 of the Lycopodiaceae, 

 and that of many 

 species has never 

 7 been seen. Further 

 observations of these 

 structures are very 

 much to be desired,, 

 It is suggested that 

 the prothallia might 

 be raised by infest- 

 ing them with spores 

 i of the fungus. This 

 might possibly be 

 done by watering the 



SPOROPHYLLS OF LYCOPODIUM. 

 i. L. complanatum. 2. L. alpmum. 3. L. sabinae- 



6. L. spores with water in 

 which the roots of the 



3. 

 hen 



folium. 4. L. clavatum. 5. L. Sitchense. 

 cernuum. 7. L. annotinum. 8. L. Carolinianum. 

 9. L. inundatum. 10. L. obscurum. n. L. alopec- 

 uroides. 



lycopodiums have 



been soaking. This theory is being put to a practical 

 test, but the experiments have not progressed far enough 

 to have the results included here. 



In all flowering plants, and in nearly all others, the 



