128 ASCOMYCETES AND RHODOPHYCE, 
hyphe, the pores in the septa may be associated with some part of the 
process of fecundation. Baur is inclined to regard the first cell of the 
ascogonium as the egg-cell, attributing to the rest the réle of auxiliary 
cells similar to that described by Oltmanns for certain Ploridee. 
In many cases carpogonia were found which showed no evidence of 
development into apothecia, their cells giving rise merely to vegetative 
hyphe. In these cases no spermatia were found attached to the 
receptive cells of the trichogyne. 
The discovery of a carpogonium in Physcéa pulverulenta (Schreb.) 
Nyl. by Stahl and Lindau has been confirmed by Darbyshire. He 
finds, however, that the cells of the carpogonium become connected by 
broad strands of protoplasm so as to form almost a single multinu- 
cleated cell. Darbyshire shows also the falsity of Lindau’s view, 
namely, that the trichogyne is merely a boring hypha which serves to 
break a way upward through the thallus for the apothecium. 
From the investigations of the authors mentioned there seems to be 
no doubt that, in the genera in question, the development of the spore 
fruit is the result of a true sexual process. 
