376 THALLOPHYTES 
substratum, and sends up conidiophores at the ends of which the 
conidia are borne in radiating chains as shown in Figure 326. 
The spores are scattered mostly by the wind. 
The sex organs appear a little later than the conidia and 
consist of two short hyphal filaments which come together and 
intertwine spirally. One of these filaments represents the odgo- 
nium andthe other, the antheridium. 
After fertilization, ascogenous hyphae 
develop from the ascogonium and bear 
eight-spored asci at their tips. In the 
meantime other hyphae grow up from 
below the ascogonium and a closed case 
or cleistothecium is 
formed, within which 
are the asci inter- 
mingled amongst 
sterile hyphae. The 
walls of the asci 
finally dissolve, thus 
Fic. 327. — A species of 
ere : -; setting the  asco- eA ag 
Penicillium, showing conidi- mie [ 
ophores bearing chains of SPOres free within os i 
conidia. the cleistothecium. oe 
Through the decay 
of the wall of the cleistothecium the spores are 
finally freed to be scattered by the wind. 
Another Ascomycete which sometimes 
poisons livestock is the Purple Monascus. 
© 
a 
Fia. 328. —A 
naked-ascus Fun- 
gus, Taphrina prunt 
on a plum, showing 
It belongs to another order and is a simpler 
Ascomycete than Aspergillus. It is often 
present in moldy silage and when fed to live- 
stock may cause death. This mold produces 
a purple pigment which colors the substratum 
upon which the mold lives and distinctly colors 
the asci developed 
without any cover- 
ing on the surface 
of the epidermis 
(X 400). Redrawn 
with modifications 
from Strasburger. 
silage attacked by the Mold. 
Penicillium. — A common species of Penicillium is the Bluc 
Mold which develops on shoes or gloves left in damp places, and 
on lemons, cheese, ete. It often occurs intermingled with Bread 
Mold on bread. The conidia are borne as shown in Figure 327. 
Tts sexual reproduction 1s similar to that of Aspergillus and the 
cleistothecia are about as large as a coarse grain of sand. 
