(28) 



kelp " of the Pacific Ocean, which is said to attain seven 

 hundred feet in length. The seaweeds culminate in the red 

 algae, a group in which the plants show some shade of red, 

 pink or purple ; these (cases 9 to 16) exhibit a marvelous 

 range of form and color. The last group of cases contain- 

 ing this series is given to the group of red algae which are 

 known as the corallines, on account of their outward resem- 

 blance to the corals. These plants are thoroughly permeated 

 with lime and are often as hard and stone-like as any coral, 

 and build up reefs in the tropical oceans much as the corals do. 

 The next great type of plant life is the fungi (cases 17 to 

 36). These, like the plants of the preceding group, vary 

 greatly in size and complexity of structure ; but, unlike them, 

 they are devoid of chlorophyl, the characteristic green matter 

 which enables other plants to build up complex food for their 

 nourishment, and consequently they are wholly different in 

 their mode of life. Some are parasitic, deriving their nourish- 

 ment from living plants and causing enormous damage to 

 crops ; others are saprophytic, deriving it from the remains 

 of dead organisms ; while others are symbiotic, living in such 

 relationship with chlorophyl-bearing (green) plants that they 

 mutually nourish one another, as in the case of lichens 

 and mycorhizas. There are five generally recognized series 

 here : First we have the stalked-spored fungi (cases 17 to 

 28). This series falls into two groups, the one typified by 

 the " rusts " and " smuts " which are commonly parasitic on 

 the leaves and fruits of other plants ; the other the great 

 saprophytic group well known through the mushrooms, 

 bracket-fungi, stink-horns and puff-balls. Second in the 

 series is the group known as the imperfect fungi (case 29). 

 In this group the spores are borne directly on the threads or 

 "hyphae" which constitute the vegetative portion of the 

 organism. They are often parasitic on the leaves and on 

 the bark of both wild and cultivated plants. Third in this 

 series are the spore-sac fungi (cases 30 and 31). In these 

 plants the spores are borne in delicate membranous sacs, 

 called asci, which in the more complex forms are collected 



