SPEEMOGONES. 23 



cups, and the secondary organs or spermogones, 

 are developed from the same mycelium j but the 

 value of the latter is still undetermined. If they 

 possess 'any fecundative power, the process has not 

 been traced ; or if they are in themselves repro- 

 ductive, they have not at present been seen to 

 germiaate. Their uses, therefore, in ttie economy 

 of the parasitic plant of which they are now known 

 to form a part is still a mystery, and they remain 

 valueless in the determination of genera and 

 species. Any speculation which might regard 

 them as male organs would be premature, and 

 without support in fact. Hitherto only some 

 species of the genera described in the foregoiug 

 chapter, and others belonging to genera not 

 hitherto named, have been ascertained to possess 

 spermogones. Of the former are the Bmstelice, 

 some species of JScidium, as those of Uuphorhia, 

 &c., and Peridermium Pini. 



These spermogones are of a very simple struc- 

 ture — very delicate, indeed ; so much so, that they 

 will scarcely bear preparation for demonstration. 

 De Bary states that they originate from plain, 

 delicate, inarticulate threads, about half the thick- 

 ness of the mycelium (the root-like branching 

 fibres which form the fundamental stratum of 

 fungoid growths), which are developed in large 

 quantities, and closely packed together. These 

 threads are compacted together so as to form an 

 outer enveloping integument or peridium, which ia 



