THE SEXUALITY OP THE FUNGI. 39 



considers it undecided that a true sexual process occurs. Fisch 1 

 doubts whether these organs have anything to do with the formation 

 of the asci. Sachs 2 and Goebel 3 describe the organs and the sexual 

 process in terms which Kihlmann thinks too confident and premature 

 at the time. 



I uow pass to the observations made by Kihlmann himself. The 

 macrocysts and paracysts arise together in pairs as terminal swellings 

 of the branches. The hook-like prolongation of the macrocyst becomes 

 fused to the apex of the paracyst, much as described by previous 

 writers ; but before the apex of the hook-like process meets the paracyst, 

 a solid septum cuts off its communication with the macrocyst at the 

 point where it leaves the latter. 



Hence a mingling of the protoplasm in the two " sexual " organs is 

 impossible, and the open communication described by Tulasne never 

 occurs. From certain changes in the appearance of the protoplasm of 

 the paracyst, at the time when the hook-like prolongation fuses with 

 it, and from the peculiar refractive appearance of the septum, the 

 author is compelled to ask, May not diffusion occur ? But, as a matter 

 of observation, the protoplasm in the paracyst does not perceptibly 

 diminish in quantity, and soon regains its former appearance, like that 

 of the macrocyst. 



The paracyst and macrocyst both become enlarged, and hyphas bad 

 out from below, enclosing them as described before. Meanwhile, buds 

 appear on the paracyst, which are from the first much thicker than 

 the paraphyses, and are evidently the ascogenous hyphse. 



The macrocyst is therefore an Ascogonium, and the paracyst is mor- 

 phologically an Antheridium. Whether these sexual organs are so 

 physiologically is very doubtful. 



Comparison with the Collemacece* suggests that the hook-like pro- 

 longation from the macrocyst is really a Trichogyne ; and it is not 

 impossible that here, as in the Collemacece, an extremely small quantity 

 of material may pass into the ascogonium, and the sexual act be 

 physiologically complete also. 



Proceeding to compare the foregoing with what we know of other 

 Discomycetes, Kihlmann thinks that the sexual process in Ascobolus 



1 e Bot. Zeit.,' 1882; * Beitr. zur Entw. einiger Asoomyceteru' 



2 ' Text-book,' p. 309. 



3 ! Grundziige der Systematic, &c.,' p. 123. 



4 StaM, 5 Beitrage zur Entw, der Fleohteu,' H. i. 



