180 FUNGI. 
of tracing them in their relations to the bodies with which they 
are associated are very great. Nevertheless there is strong pre- 
sumption in favour of regarding some of them as performing 
the functions which the name applicd to them indicates. 
Professor de Bary cautiously refrains from accepting spermatia 
other than as doubtful or at least uncertain scxual bodics.* He 
says that the Messrs. Tulasne have supposed that tho spermo- 
gonia represented the male sex, and that the spermatia were 
analogous to spermatozoids. Their opinion depends on two 
plausible reasons,—the spermatia, in fact, do not germinate, 
and the devclopment of the spermogonia generally precedes 
the appearance of the sporophorous organs, a double circum- 
stance which reminds us of what is known of the spermato- 
zoids and antheridia of other vegetables. It remained to 
discover which were the female organs which underwent 
fecundation from the spermatia. 
Many organs placed at first amongst spermatia have beeu 
recognized by M. Tulasne as being themselves susceptible of 
germination, and consequently ought to take their place among 
legitimate spores. Then it must be considered that very many 
spores can only germinate under ccrtain conditions. It is, 
therefore, for the present a doubtful question whether there 
exist really any spermatia incapable of germination, or if the 
default of germination of these corpuscles does not rather 
depend on the experiments hitherto attempted not having in- 
cluded the conditions required by the phenomena. Moreover, 
as yet no trace has been discovered of the female organs which 
are specially fecundated by the spermatia. 
Finally, there exist in the Ascomycetes certain organs of 
reproduction, diverse spore-bearing apparatus, pycnidia, and 
others, which, like the spermogonia, usually precede asco- 
phorous fruits. The real nature of the spermogonia and 
spermatia should therefore be regarded as, at present, very 
uncertain; as regards, however, the spermatia which have 
never been seen to germinate, perhaps it is as well not to 
absolutely reject the first opinion formed concerning them, or 
* De Bary, ‘‘ Morphologic und Physiologie der Pilze,” cap. v. p. 163. 
