56 MICEOSCOPIC FUNGI. 



a beautiful as well as interesting object for the 

 microscope. When matured^ these globose bodies^ 

 which Tulasne has called sporidia, fall from the 

 threads^ and commence germinating on their own 

 account. It is not impossible that the sporidia^ in 

 this and allied genera^ may themselves produce a 

 third and still more minute fruit,, capable of dijffu- 

 sion through the tissues of growing plants^ or 

 gaining admission by their stomata. Nothing of 

 the kind^ however^ has yet been of certainty dis- 

 covered. 



Forty other species of Piiccinia have been 

 recorded as occurring in Great Britain^ to all of 

 which many of the foregoing remarks will also 

 apply — ^viz.^ such as relate to their two-celled spores 

 being found associated with, and springing from, 

 the same mycelium as certain orange-coloured one- 

 celled spores ; and also the main features of the 

 germinating process. 



A very singular and interesting species is not 

 uncommon on the more delicate grasses, being 

 found chiefly confined to the leaves, and produced 

 in smaller and more rounded, or but slightly elon- 

 gated, patches (plate IV. fig. 60). We have met with 

 it plentifully amongst the turf laid down in the 

 grounds of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, and 

 also on hedge-banks and in pastures. The spores 

 are rather smaller than those of Puccinia graminis^ 

 but, like them, much elongated, slightly constricted, 

 and borne on persistent peduncles. The most 



