THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE ASCOCARP AND SPORE- 
FORMATION IN THE MANY-SPORED ASCI OF 
THECOTHEUS PELLETIER I. 
JAMES BERTRAM OVERTON. 
(WITH PLATES XXIX AND XXX) 
ALTHOUGH free cell formation and spore formation have been 
thoroughly described by several authors, the process has not been 
followed in asci containing more than eight spores. In view of the 
old and widely held opinion that the ascus closes a sporophyte gen- 
eration and is a spore mother cell, the study of the development of 
a many-spored ascus becomes especially important. The correlative 
phenomenon of the regular formation of eight nuclei in the ascus by 
a triple division, whether eight spores or less are to be formed, has 
been well established; but the variations from the typical method 
of spore formation and the necessary nuclear and cell divisions, by 
which more than eight spores are formed, are still in need of further 
study, and may prove valuable in aiding to solve the character of 
this peculiar organ. The presence of a true sexual process in the 
higher fungi, especially among the Ascomycetes, has been established 
beyond a doubt by the investigations of HARPER and others, but 
much still remains to be learned concerning the morphology of the 
sexual organs and ascogonia in the individual forms of this group. 
The present investigation was undertaken during the past year, 
in order to determine the method of spore-formation in many-spor 
asci. Thecotheus Pelletieri presented itself as favorable material. 
Incidentally stages in the development of the ascocarp have been found 
which will also be described. The fungus agrees in general with 
the descriptions and figures of Thecotheus Pelletieri (Cr.) Boud., 
except that the asci are Jess conspicuously exserted than shown in 
the figures of CRouAN (’57), BoupreR (’69), PATourmLtaRD (’83);, 
and Rex (’96), and the spores are also faintly colored. BoUDIER, 
to whom I have also sent material, has had the kindness to examine 
the fungus and has confirmed the determination, with the note, 
however, that he finds the spores somewhat larger than in the type. 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 42] [45° 
