1922] SPESSARD—LYCOPODIUM 409 
ascomycetous growth of fig. 124 was very common, but always was 
found just outside the epidermis. It was found connected with 
the intracellular mycelium, however. The mass shown in fig. 125 
was often observed in decayed regions of the prothallia. Since 
the ‘‘spores” shown in fig. 126 were found in such a mass, it is 
probable that the fungus sometimes destroys the prothallium in 
the older parts, to distribute its own spores. At any rate, many 
prothallia of L. complanatum were found with the entire lower 
half rotted away, and all the prothallia of L. obscurum sectioned, 
and a few of L. lucidulum had rotten holes in them which were 
filled with the fungus. 
HABIT OF GROWTH 
The fungus enters the prothallium either through the rhizoids 
or between the epidermal cells. To say that it enters is not exactly 
accurate. It may be possible to show that many of the “entering” 
’ mycelia are in reality leaving the prothallium. It undoubtedly 
gets a foothold during the earliest life of the plant. To within two 
or three cells of the meristematic cells it is established (figs. 50, 51), 
which shows that it is eminently capable of taking care of itself, 
once it has obtained a foothold. 
In L. lucidulum the fungus occupies the region shown in fig. 111, 
but there is one peculiar thing to be noted. Only about half of 
the cells contain the mycelial threads, the other half contain bodies 
which in some respects resemble spores (fig. 112). These show no 
nuclei under various stains. With safranin and aniline blue the 
walls reacted like cellulose. In a few cases minute red chromatin- 
like granules appeared differentiated, but these were never seen - 
after iron alum haematoxylin; consequently, it is impossible to 
state just what these bodies actually are. In a few instances very 
minute mycelial threads were seen to radiate from pores in the 
walls of these bodies, as though they were germinating spores. 
These were always seen in section and cannot alone be considered 
conclusive evidence that they are indeed such structures. So far 
as this investigation goes, it cannot be said that they do or do not 
have any relation to the endophytic fungus. They are such a 
constant structure associated with the fungus, however, that some 
