VIl] SCHIZOPHYTA. 121 



apparently protoplasmic in nature. We may at least express the 

 opinion that Schiitt's suggestion as to their being inorganic must 

 be ruled out of court. It would appear that they are extremely 

 minute unicellular organisms characterised by a delicate cal- 

 careous armour consisting of numerous plates or scales. We 

 know nothing as to their life-history, and cannot attempt to 

 determine their affinities with any degree of certainty until 

 further facts are before us. It is not improbable that they are 

 algae of an extremely minute size, and the evidence so far 

 obtained would lead us to regard them as complete individuals 

 rather than the reproductive cells of some larger organism. 

 Mr George Murray is of opinion that they are certainly algae, 

 but he considers that they cannot be included in any existing 

 family. It is conceivable that they may be minute eggs or 

 reproductive cells of animals or plants, but on the whole the 

 balance of probability would seem to be in favour of regarding 

 them as autonomous organisms. 



III. SCHIZOPHYTA. 



I. SCHIZOPHYCEAE (CYANOPHYCEAE). 



II. SCHIZOMYCETES. 



In this group are included small single-celled plants of an 

 extremely low type of organisation, in which reproduction takes 

 the form of multiplication by simple cell-division, or the 

 formation of spores. The characteristic method of reproduction 

 by division has given rise to the general term Fission-plants for 

 this lowest sub-class in the vegetable kingdom. In many cases 

 the members of this sub-class contain chlorophyll, and associated 

 with it a blue-green colouring matter ; such plants are classed 

 together as the Blue-green algae, Cyanophyceae, or Schizophy- 

 ceae. Others, again, are destitute of chlorophyll, and may be 

 conveniently designated Schizomycetes or Fission-fungi. Seeing 

 how close is the resemblance and relationship between the 

 members of the sub-class, it has been the custom to include 

 them as two parallel series under the general head, Schizophyta, 

 rather than to incorporate them among the Algae and Fungi 

 respectively. 



