20 



which constitute the disk of the Apotheciiim, and he considers the 

 Spermatia, called by him Hyphidia, as, for the most part, at least, 

 branches of the Hyphema, to be noticed hereafter. They are found 

 in abundance in the young Apothecia. 



Pycnides resemble Spermogones. Their contents are organs 

 called Stylospores, situated on the ends of simple filaments. Their 

 form is oblong and they are sometimes septate. Their oflHce is un- 

 known. Pycnides are called by Minks Clinosporangia, their fila- 

 ments Clinidia, and the Stylopores Clinospores. 



The Schwendener Theory. 



This part of the subject would be incomplete without some men- 

 tion of what has been the subject of much discussion for the last few 

 years, the question of the autonomy of Lichens. The resemblance of 

 the Thallus of Lichens to Algse, and of the Apothecia to certain 

 aseomycetous Fungi, had long been noted. Fries called Lichens 

 aerial Algse. Schwendener, in his first work, Untersuchingen tiber 

 den Flechtenthallus, considered Lichens as autonomous ; but in a 

 second work. Die Algentypen der Flechtengonidien, he abandoned 

 this opinion and propounded the theory which has since gone by his 

 name, that Lichens are really a compound plant, the Gonidia being 

 Algse, and the Hyphse and Apothecia Fungi, the Hyphse as parasites 

 drawing their nourishment from the Gonidia. To quote his pictur- 

 esque language : " All these plants are not individuals in the com- 

 mon sense of the term ; they are rather colonies, consisting of hun- 

 dreds and thousands of Individuals, of which one holds the master- 

 ship, while the others in eternal captivity prepare the nourishment 

 for themselves and their masters. The Master is a Fungus of the 

 class of Ascomycetse, a parasite which lives on the labor of others ; 

 its slaves are green Algae, which it seeks or lays hold of and forces 

 into its service. It encloses them, as a spider its prey, with a net- 

 work of delicate tissue, which is gradually transformed into an im- 

 pervious integument. But while the spider sucks the life out of its 

 prey, the Fungus stimulates the Algse in its grasp to greater activ- 

 ity, to a more vigorous increase, and thereby renders possible a 

 luxuriant growth, and promotes the welfare of the whole Colony." 

 This theory has been accepted by many leading Botanists, but not 

 by one of the great Lichenists, by whom it has been opposed with 

 many arguments. It is not our purpose to enter into the discussion 



