14 Prof. F. Schmitz on the 
liquely downwards extend into the cavity of the tubular 
thallus, and here become abundantly ramified. 
In all these cases, however, by ramification of the ooblas- 
tema-filaments a more or less abundantly and closely com- 
pressed tuft of threads is formed, and this sometimes remains 
naked (Chantransta, Lemanea), but in most cases is furnished 
with a more or less dense envelope of cell-filaments proceed- 
ing from the carpogonial branch or the neighbouring filaments 
of the thallus (Batrachospermum, Nemalion, Helminthocladia), 
which sometimes even close together to form a_ solid 
fruit-wall (Scinaia). Sometimes also certain of these sterile 
envelope-filaments grow through the ramification of the fertile 
tuft of filaments, and become interwoven, as sterile para- 
physes, among the branched ooblastema-filaments (Batracho- 
spermum). 
In certain cases (Batrachospermum, Chantransia, Nemalion, 
Helminthocladia) these ooblastema-filaments finally develop 
single carpospores from the terminal cells of their ramifications. 
These terminal cells swell up and become filled with an 
abundance of contents. At last the membrane at the apex of 
the cell bursts, and the whole plasma-body escapes as a 
single naked spore. ‘These spores are successively evacuated 
from the different terminal cells of the same tuft of filaments ; 
but after the evacuation of the individual terminal cell its 
supporting cell grows through it and produces within the 
evacuated membrane a new spore-forming terminal cell, until 
finally all the nutritive substances of the whole tuft of fila- 
ments are used up. In other cases, besides the terminal cells 
of the ramifications of the tuft of ooblastema-filaments, the 
upper joint-cells also develop single carpospores in greater or 
less number, so that these become developed into longer or 
shorter, simple or branched chains (Scinaia, Lemanea). 
In all these instances, however, the developed fruit, the 
cystocarp, constitutes a more or less richly branched tuft of 
filaments, sometimes naked, sometimes covered with envelop- 
ing filaments, sometimes surrounded by a closed fruit-wall, 
and either immersed in the thallus or attached externally. 
2. Gelidiee. 
In the cases hitherto referred to, the spore-forming ooblas- 
tema-filaments are nourished during their development from 
the thallus-tissue of the pareit plant by the intermediation of 
the ovicell, which remains persistent (usually as the central 
cell of the whole tuft of filaments). This, however, is no 
moe the case in a group of genera which come nearest to 
these. 
