CHAPTEE IX. 



BRANCH III. CARPOPHYTA. 



THE FKUIT-TANGLES. 



294. The distinguishing characteristic of the plants 

 which constitute this vast division is the formation of a 

 spore-fruit (sporocarp) as a result of fertilization. The 

 spore-fruit consists essentially of two different parts, viz. , 

 (1) a fertile part, which either directly or indirectly pro- 

 duces spores, sometimes a few, or even one, or a very great 

 number ; (3) a sterile part, consisting of cells or tissues de- 

 veloped from the cells adjacent to the fertile part, and so 

 formed as to envelop it. 



295. This immense group consists typically of plants 

 with chlorophyll, to which are added large numbers of 

 hysterophytic, chlorophyll-less species. In the former the 

 spore-fruit is small in proportion to the size of the vegeta- 

 tive parts of the plant ; but in the latter, where the vegeta- 

 tive parts are greatly reduced, the spore- fruit is proportion- 

 ately large. In this the hysterophytes of the Oarpophyta 

 are like those of the flowering plants, in which the vegeta- 

 tive or assimilative organs are smaller than in those which 

 contain chlorophyll ; thus the very large spore-fruits of 

 many of the larger fungi, and their relatively small my- 

 celium, may be compared to the large reproductive organs 

 and the reduced stems and leaves of the Vine-rape 

 (Rafflesia) of Sumatra. 



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