618 FUNGUS 



A Funtfus 13 a plant of very low organization consist 

 ing of one or more cells multiplying its kind by cell 

 division ami Vjy spores. It contains no green substance 

 (chlorophyll), and grows either as a saprophyte upon 



880. Colonies of the rust Funeus on the leaf of a 

 hoUyhock. 



non-living organic matter or derives its food directly 

 from another living organism, and is then a true para- 

 site. Fuugi are very common, and range in size from 

 the large hard-shell Fungus upon logs and the puff- 

 ball and toadstool in the rich earth to the delicate 

 moulds that infest bread and other foods, and the still 

 more microscopic forms that produce fermentation, as 

 yeast in dough and other species employed in mak- 

 ing beer. Some of the toadstools are very richly 

 tinted with red, yellow, brown and even blue, and a few 

 are dr'adly poisonous, as tlie "death cup" and the "fly 

 agaric," which grow upon the decaying organic matter 

 in shaded places. Others are wholesome, and are grown 

 as articles of food, the leading species of which is the 

 inushvoom, Agai'U'us campt'stris. More highly prized 

 still is the truftie, which is produced under ground and 

 hunted by hogs, which find them by their odor, and even 

 muzzled hogs are trained to unearth them. 



Tine of the parasitic species, ergot, infests the heads 

 of rye, changing the grains into much enlarged horny 

 purplish masses called "spurred rj'e" because of the 

 resemblance of the fungous grains to a cock's spur. 

 This is extreuiely poisonous, and when eaten Ijy live 

 stock with the hay or grass has been known to destroy 

 whole herds. Tiiis Fungus furnishes one of the most 

 valuable iii the wliole long list of drugs. I\[any other 

 fungi grow in the heads of grain, the most conspicuous 

 f>eing the corn snmt, which changes the whole ear 

 possibly into a large mass of dark sliiue when wet, and 

 brown dust "wlieii dry. This dust is the myriads of 

 spores which the Fungus produces to secure its repro- 

 duction. Jn a similar manner other smuts destroy the 

 oats, wheat and very many kinds of gi-asses and other 

 ]>l.iuts. 



The rusts are similar Fungi which thrive upon the 

 juices of plants and produce patches of orange or yellow 

 upon leaf or stem, the discolored portion being usually 

 swollen and the skin more or less broken. 



There is another group of Fungi known as the mil- 

 dews, and these usually produce a fine wdiitish coating 

 to tlie diseased part, due to the fine stalks that come 

 from the surface of the plant and bear the spores. 



Fungi love warmth and moisture for their greatest 

 activity, and tliej'efore they are more in evidence in 

 Tuidsuramer when wet weather prevails than at other 

 times. The spores are so snmll and light that they float 

 in the air, and it is only wdien substances like canned 

 goods have these spores excluded by first killing those 



FUNKIA 



present and preventing access of others, that they w 

 keep unattacked, — that is, sweet and edible. Substanc 

 can be easily inoculated by introducing the germs, ; 

 mold into potatoes, rust into a tree, or yeast in 

 dough. The number of kinds of Fungi is high amoi 

 the thousands, and new species are being found eac 

 month, but they are so small that only specialists c: 

 understand the microscopic differences that separate oi 

 kind from another. Many Fungi have certain forn 

 which are assumed in the cycle of life, and in this th< 

 resemble insects -with their larval, pupal and iniai 

 stages. This polymorphic nature has made the stu( 

 of the Fungi very puzzling. While a few of these plan 

 are poisonous, and many destructive to life, the greate 

 majority are scavengers, reducing the waste produc 

 to simpler and harmless forms. We could not get < 

 well without this minute and humble race of plants. 

 For further discussion, see Diseases. 



BVRON P. Halsted. 



FTJNKIA (Ludwig P. Punke, 175o-1807, and H. i 

 Funk, 1771-1839. German naturalists). Lili&cew. Dj 

 Lilt. Plantain Lily. Five or six Japanese perenni 

 herbs, producing attractive clumps of foliage and inte 

 esting blossoms. Fls. in terminal racemes or spike 

 white or blue ; perianth funnel-form, C-parted and mo 

 or less irregular, the lobes not widely spreading ; st 

 mens 6, the filaments filiform, the anthers long-obloi 

 and versatile : pod oblong and angled, many-seede 

 splitting into 3 valves (Fig. 884); seeds flat and blac 

 winged at the apex. Monogr. by Baker, Jour. Lin 

 Soc. 11:3«6. See also, Mottet, R.H. 1897, p. 114. 



Punkias are hardy and of the easiest culture. The 

 dense stools or clumps of foliage are in place aloi 

 walks or drives and in the angles against buildings, 

 continuous row along a walk gives a strong and plea 

 lug character. I\Iake the soil rich and deep. T 

 clumps improve with age. The large-leaved kinds gr( 

 vigorously in moist, shad}^ places. Of some varieti 



881. Colonies of a Fundus on a plum leaf. 



The dead I issue s,.ni(-timcs tidls oul. Ii-:i,vine a shot- 

 hole rlTerl. 



the Ivs. are strikingly variegated. Bloom in sumni 

 Foliage is killed by frost. Prop, by dividing the clum 

 some si)ecies produce seeds freely, and seedlings can 

 grown readily if seed is sown as soon as ripe. 



