INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGAMIC BOTANY. 295 



there, though none appears to have been collected by Bertero, 

 who was a very close observer, in Juan Fernandez. If, how- 

 ever, Antennaria were still included, we should have abun- 

 dant representatives, but that genus is evidently a mere con- 

 dition of Gai^nodium. 



310. The species, like the greater part of moulds, occur on 

 decaying substances, and frequently on such as are used by 

 man for food. In some instances, perhaps, as in the bread- 

 mould, the germination of the spores induces decay, and cer - 

 tamly accelerates it. The part they perform in the decay of 

 fruit has already been mentioned. If Endogone really belongs 

 to this group, there are one or two subterranean species, 

 differing from the others in their compact habit, though still 

 forming nothing like an hymenium. But the contents of the 

 vesicles in that genus are still imperfectly known. Tlie aquatic 

 moulds which have been described under Algae (p. 131), will, 

 in all probability, finally find their resting-place here, and if 

 so, will present the singular anomaly of true zoospores amongst 

 Fungi. Some species of Mucor, like PenicilUum, pro- 

 mote fermentation. A case in point is recorded in Mag. of 

 Zool, and Bot, vol. 2, p. 3i0, with a figure of the mycelioid 

 state which Mucor davatus assumed when developed, in 

 enormous quantities, in raisin wine. The wine, it should be 

 observed, so far from being deteriorated, was of peculiar ex- 

 cellence. 



311. Whether Achlya and its allied genera be moulds or 

 not, a very singular phenomenon takes place in the genus 

 Syzygites, which has its parallel only amongst Alga?. The 

 mould is common upon decaying Agarics in woods, and may 

 easily be observed in all its stages of growth at home, if kept 

 in a moist atmosphere. The erect fertile threads soon throw 

 out little tubercles from their forked or forcipate tips. The 

 tubercles, like the connecting tubes oi Zygnema (p. 152), soon 

 touch each other and coalesce ; a dissepiment is formed on 

 either side, the two intermediate membranes at the point of 

 contact are absorbed, and, finally, the united cells swell, and 

 form a single irregular sac, which soon jaroduces an abundance 

 of sporidia. Extremely active molecular motion has been ob- 



