618 



THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



larger, the numerous representatives of which are unrelieved in their monotony. 

 This method, truly, is an unconventional one, but in view of the restrictions of 

 space, perhaps better suited to our purpose than any other. 



Phylum 1.— MYXOTHALLOPHYTA. 



Organisms destitute of chlorophyll, whose vegetative state consists of a mass of naked proto- 

 plasm ( Plasmodium). Ee production by spores, from which arise swarm -spores or myx- 

 amoebse, which unite again into plasmodia. 



Alliance I. — Myxomycetes, Slime-Fungi. 



For the most part saprophytic upon dead organic and especially vegetable sub- 

 stances; they occur chiefly on accumulations of the dead parts of plants — leaves. 



Fig. 367.— Myxomycetes. 



' ^ TZ^^ST'fLfJnZmnfT,'',,- ' ^ ''""'' ^PO^^ngium; x 6. > Dendritic mass of sporangia of Spumana alba on 

 CrZuriumminu^ZT'Z °',t°'f »!" "f 'r"™; x^- '^ S™"? »' 'Porangia of the same. » and 7 Sporaiigia of 

 l,ratenummmutum,'x2i. o Spovungia, ot Arcyrm punicea. » A single sporangium; x 10. lo Part of the neWike 

 capilhtium Of the same; xl60. n ft„otiflcation of Lycogala epiden,in.m on a piece of wood >. LeTea^ frazil 

 Plasmodium on the right; several sporangia on the left. J^eocarpm jmguis, a 



tan, rotting wood, and the like; they are rarely parasitic. Their life-history is as 

 follows-:— On the germination of the spores the membrane bursts, and a slimy, 

 nucleated mass of protoplasm escapes, which either swims in water by means of a 



