COLEOGEMT-E. 271 



357. — The female organ is in this division called a car- 

 pogonimn, which consists of a single cell {e.g., GoUochcete, 

 some Ascomycetes, and the Gharacem), or of several cells {e.g., 

 Floridem and most Ascomycetes). In some cases a projec- 

 tion, called the trichogyne, is attached to the carpogonium ; 

 its function appears to be the conveyance to the carpogonium 

 of the fertilizing influence received from the antheridium. 



358. — The antheridium is here, as elsewhere throughout 

 the Cryptogams, much more variable in structure than the 

 female organ. In some cases it is applied to the carpogo- 

 nium in fertilization, while in others it produces spermato- 

 zoids ; in either case contact with the carpogonium is either 

 direct {Podosphmra, Characece), or indirect, through a tri- 

 chogyne {e.g., Coleochcete, Floridem, Peziza). 



359. — The plant-body shows in general a more perfect 

 development in the Oarposporese than in the preceding di- 

 visions. While it is,but little developed in the parasitic and 

 saprophytic species, it is well developed in many of the Flo- 

 ridem and the Gharacem. In these classes there is often a 

 considerable amount of differentiation of the plant-body 

 into caulome and phyllome. 



§ I. COLEOCH^TE. 



360. — The genus GoleocJimte maybe taken to represent the 

 simplest form of sexual reproduction in this division. The 

 species are all small green fresh-water plants, composed of 

 dichotomously branching filaments, which are arranged ra- 

 dially upon a central disc (or sometimes arranged upon irreg- 

 ularly branched threads) ; the diameter of each cushion- 

 like mass is from 1 to 3 mm. (.04 to .08 in.). 



361. — Eeproduction takes place both sexually and asexu- 

 ally. The latter is by means of zoospores which arise in the 

 vegetative cells, by the protoplasmic contents becoming, in 

 each case, converted into a single spherical bi-ciliated zoo- 

 spore, which escapes through a round hole in the cell- wall 

 (A Fig. 183). 



362. — The sexual organs and process bear some resem- 

 blance to those of CEdogoniacese. The female organ, the 



