On the Pithophorace^e. 



41 



In order to avoid prolixity and give, at the same time, a clear in- 

 dication of my manner of viewing the closer or farther removed affinities 

 between Pithoplioracece and the other classes and orders of the polymor- 

 phous chlorophylliferous alga3, I here give a sketch of these alga3, 

 arranged in the form of a genealogical tree. A more particular account 

 of the motives of this attempt at arrangement it is my intention to 

 publish on another occasion. *) 



The genealogical tree of the Ghloro- 

 phyllophyce as, see the following page. 



As every one knows, Cohn and Sachs have lately in their sys- 

 tems of plants 2 ) given expression to the opinion that in the Algce and 

 in the Fungi (Thallophytce Colin) only characters obtained from the 

 nature of the reproduction and the reproductive organs are of value in 

 the systematizing 3 ) (which is to me the same as in the looking for the 

 natural affinities or, in other words, the genetic connexion between the 

 forms of plants). That the principles by which I have been conducted 

 in the composition of the table given below, differ essentially from 



*) J need hardly mention that I do not regard all the groups, below indicated 

 as classes and orders, as having as yet perfectly natural limits. The groups of for 

 instance Siplionece, Palmdlacece, Clicetophorcce, Ulvacece and Confervacccz will, in all 

 probability, be found on a nearer examination to embrace more than one type of 

 order. — Whether the Diatomacece ought to have their place in the class of the 

 Conjugates, or not, seems to me dubious. Perhaps they belong to another scries of 

 development, and are in that case only analogous, not affined, to Coyijugatce De Bar. — 

 On the characters of the class of the Oedogoniacece, see Wittr. Prodr. Monog. Occlog. 

 p. 1, the note. 



2 ) Published: Cohn's in Hedwigia 1872, page 18 (somewhat modified in Entw. 

 d. Volvox page 113), and that of Sachs in Lehrb. d, Botan. 4:te Aufl. pages 248, 249. 



3 ) It is known that this is not the first time that a fusion has been attempted 

 between the Algce and Hungi. As early as nearly 30 years ago Nageli says on 

 this head in Neu. Algensyst. pages 1(^9 — 170 as follows: »Wenn man die Pilze wegen 

 ihrer von alien iibrigen Pflanzen abweichenden Entstehungsweise, Lebensart und Be- 

 schaffenheit des Zellinhaltes nicht als besondere Pflanzengruppe bestehen lassen will, 

 so gibt es gewiss kein Merkmal der Fructification, wonach sich Algen, Flechten und 

 Pilze kennen liessen, weil alle Arten der Samenbildung der Pilze auch bei den Algen 

 sich finden, und es bliebe keine andere Wahl, als sie alle zusammen zu werfen und 

 dann die ganze Masse nach Bau und Fortpnanzung in Gruppen zu theilen, und dabei 

 fortwahrend Pilzgattung neben Algengattung zu stellen, was abcr gewiss zu chief 

 ganz unnatiirlicheh Anordnung fuhren wiirde.» (The italics are mine). 



Nova Acta Reg. Soc. Sc. Ups. Ser. III. g 



