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THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



purposes. The old division into Algae, Fungi, and Lichens, based on the presence or 

 absence of chlorophyll and on the mode of life of the forms in question, has been 

 by many authors abandoned. Cohn in 1872 divided the Thallophytes, according to 

 their methods of reproduction, into seven groups : Schizosporese, Zygosporese, Basidio- 

 sporese, Ascosporese, Tetrasporese, Zoosporese, and Oosporese. Sachs, in 1874, follow- 

 ing somewhat similar lines, made four classes: Protophyta, Zygosporese, Oosporeee, 

 and Carposporeee, in each of which groups both chlorophyll-containing (Algaa) and 

 colourless forms (Fungi) occur, as may be seen by a perusal of the classification 

 quoted below.^ Goebel (1882) returns in part to the older method and distinguishes 

 between Algge and Fungi; but with these as groups of equal systematic importance 

 he ranks the Myxomycetes, Diatomaceae, and Schizophyta. The Algss he divides 

 into Chlorophycese (Green Algse), Phseophycese (Brown Algse), and Ehodophycese 

 (Red Sea- weeds); and the Fungi into Chytridiacese, Ustilagineae, Phycomycetes, 

 Ascomycetes, JJcidiomycetes, Basidiomycetes. Warming (1884) returns completely 

 to the older method, dividing the Thallophytes into Algas and Fungi, ranking the 

 Myxomycetes with the Fungi, and the Diatoms and Schizophyceae with the Algee. 

 The balance of opinion at the present time, largely swayed by the views and 

 researches of Brefeld upon the Fungi, favours a grouping of the bulk of Thallo- 

 phytes into Algse and Fungi. Brefeld regards the various families of Fungi as 

 more intimately related amongst themselves than are these families to corresponding 

 families of Algje. That Fungi have arisen from Algse at some remote period, and 

 have then amongst themselves undergone development along various lines, is very 

 generally held; but the view that the different families of Fungi stand in near 

 relationship to the several algal groups — as indicated, for instance, in the system of 

 Sachs, (c/. foot-note below) — is not at present the prevalent one. And amongst the 

 Algse, also, the attempt to classify the various forms into families according to the 

 relative simplicity or complexity of their organs of reproduction (as Sachs suggested) 

 no longer finds general favour. Amongst the Algse we find a number of extensive 



'SACHS'S CLASSIFICATION OF THALLOPHYTES. 

 L Protophyta. 



