THALLOPHYTES : FUNGI 



291 



In certain conditions, however, these slimy bodies come 

 to rest and organize most elaborate and often very beau- 

 tiful sporangia, full of spores (Fig. 267). These varied 

 and easily preserved sporangia are used to classify the 



Fig. 267. Three common slime moulds (Myxomycetes) on decaying wood : to the 

 left above, groups of the sessile sporangia of Trichia ; to the right above, a group 

 of the stalked sporangia of Stemonitis, with remnant of old Plasmodium at base ; 

 below, groups uf sporangia of Hemiarcyria, with a Plasmodium mass at upper 

 left hand.— Goldberger. 



forms. Slime-moulds, or "slime-fungi," therefore, seem 

 to have animal-like bodies -which produce plant-like spo- 

 rangia. 



193. Bacteria. — These are the " Fission-Fungi," or Schizo- 

 mycetes, and are popularly known as " bacteria," " bacilli," 

 " microbes," " germs," etc. They are so important and pe- 

 culiar in their life habits that their study has developed a 

 special branch of botany, known as " Bacteriology." In 

 many ways they resemble the Cyanophyceas, or " Fission- 

 Algas," so closely that they are often associated with them 

 in classification (see § 162). 



