.NOT US ON PARASITIC FUNGI OBSERVED AT KROOK- 

 I.NGS DURING THE SUJMM.ER OF 



T. A. WILLIAMS, M. A. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The term fungus (plural fungi) is a general one, applied to a 

 class of flowerless plants that get their nourishment from other 

 dead or living plants, or from animals. They contain no green 

 coloring matter (chlorophyll}. They are unable to manufact- 

 ure their own food from the elements of the soil or air, as do 

 most of the higher plants, but get nourishment already prepared 

 by higher plants. 



A fungus is composed of two parts, a vegetative portion, or 

 plant body, and a reproductive portion or spore. The former 

 usually consists of variously modified threads (mycelium), which 

 spread over or penetrate into the substance upon which the 

 fungus grows. These threads are usually more or less branched 

 and are colorless or colored according to the kind of fungus of 

 which they form a part. 



The reproductive portion consists primarily of small bodies 

 (spores) which are born on branches of the mycelium, or, in 

 specialised bodies or receptacles. 



From their methods of obtaining nourishment fungi are 

 divided into two classes: Those obtaining nourishment from 

 decaying matter, or SAPROPHYTES; and those obtaining their food 

 from living plants or animals, or PABASITES. A parasitic fungus 



