sect, i CRYPTOGAMS 301 



is effected by seeds ; spores are formed also by Phanerogams, but 

 they are not the immediate cause of the origin and development of new- 

 individuals. Seeds are multicellular bodies, within which is included 

 the multicellular rudiment or embryo of a plant ; while spores which, 

 in the case of the Cryptogams, become separated from the mother plant, 

 and give rise to a new and independent organism, are unicellular struc- 

 tures. Cryptogams may therefore be termed spore plants or Sporo- 

 phytes, and Phanerogams SEED PLANTS or Spermaphytes ; although 

 uniformity to previous usage and custom would recommend adherence 

 to the older terms. 



The Cryptogams are divided into the three following groups : — 



I. The Thallophyta, embracing a great variety of plants whose 

 vegetative portion may consist of one or many cells in the form of a 

 more or less branched thallus. 



II. The Bryophyta, which include forms with a leaf-like thallus, 

 as well as cormophytic forms, with evident segmentation into stems 

 and leaves. The Bryophytes possess no true roots, and their conduct- 

 ing bundles are of the simplest structure. 



III. The Pteridophyta, or Fern-plants, exhibit a segmentation into 

 stems, leaves, and roots, and also possess true vascular bundles. 

 While thus resembling the Phanerogams in structure, they differ from 

 them in their mode of reproduction, and in their dissemination by 

 means of spores. 



The Thallophytes and Bryophytes are also characterised as 

 cellular plants, in contrast to the Pteridophytes or Vascular Crypto- 

 gams, which, together with the Phanerogams, are collectively desig- 

 nated vascular plants. 



I. THALLOPHYTA 



The Thallophytes may be divided according to their natural 

 relationships into the following classes : — 



1. Myxomycetes, Slime-Fungi. 6. CMorophyeeae, Green Algae. 



2. Schizophyta, Fission-Plants. 7. Phaeophyceae, Brown Algae. 



3. Diatomeae, Diatoms. 8. Rhodophyceae, Eed Algae. 



4. Peridineae, Dinoflagellates. 9. Charaeeae, Stoneworts. 



5. Conjugatae, Conjugates. 10. Hypliomycetes (Eumycetes), Fungi. 



Formerly it was customary to divide the Thallophyta comprised 

 in these ten classes into the two groups of Algae and Fungi. The 

 Algae are Thallophytes which possess chromatophores with colouring 

 pigments, particularly chlorophyll; they are, therefore, capable of assimi- 

 lating and providing independently for their own nutrition. The Fungi, 

 on the other hand, are colourless and have a saprophytic or parasitic 



