346 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



virtue of the presence of asci, it should have its place in the 

 Pyrenomycetes, or whether, on account of their absence, it must 

 be relegated to the Sphaeropsideae. External appearance will 

 furnish no direct evidence as to its place in the system, and 

 hence a knowledge of the spores is again the first step in 

 identification, without which it is impossible to proceed. 



The moulds, or Hyphomycetes, again, when devoid of 

 conidia, are no better than a condition of mycelium. A mass 

 of sterile hyphae is only equivalent to mycelium, even though 

 some of the branches may be erect, as if they exhibited the 

 intention of producing gonidia. When the gonidia are present 

 upon the branches, then the fertile threads possess a new im- 

 portance, as they become gonidiophores, and in connection with 

 the gonidia determination of the species is probable. 



Spotted leaves are often collected by the inexperienced 

 on the assumption that, whenever a living leaf has become 

 spotted in a particular manner, the spotting is due to the 

 presence of a Fungus. In many instances the assumption will 

 prove to be correct, but even then it will not be sufficient to 

 know that mycelium, or even small perithecia, are present, if no 

 mature fruit can be found. Many a weary hour of fruitless 

 labour may be expended in the examination of spotted leaves 

 which do not furnish the organs essential to an accurate 

 diagnosis. 



Hence it will be evident that the collector, even if he 

 aspires to be nothing more, must acquire sufficient elementary 

 information to guide him, and prevent the accumulation of a 

 store of waste material, in which a pocket lens will give no 

 evidence of Fungus growth in the condition of fructifica- 

 tion. A little knowledge and experience may be sufficient to 

 determine whether a Hymenomycete is mature, or whether 

 there is any ground for the belief that in other cases repro- 

 ductive organs are present, in some form or other, whilst a 

 larger experience and a more extended knowledge may be 

 necessary for an accurate determination. 



When it has been ascertained that a Fungus has all the 

 appearance of possessing mature fructification, the question is 

 sure to arise as to the best method of preserving it for future 

 examination, although it may be premised that fleshy Fungi 



