20 



A TEEN BOOK FOR EYERTBODT. 



in the Spleenworts do not occur on the Bracken. These 

 black lines (fig. 9) are found on the green fronds at the 

 same time as the fructification, and belong also to a para- 

 sitic fungus,* only recently recorded in Great Britain. 

 The black lines contain several cells, and in these cells 

 numerous transparent long sacs, each containing eight 

 elongated spores or seeds. (Fig. 7.) 



When the old fronds of the Bracken have lain on the 

 ground through the wiuter, another fangus t makes its 

 appearance in little shining black points, not much larger 

 than the point of a pin, scattered over the surface. Each 

 of these points is a small globose black cell containing 

 similar long transparent sacs to the last named, but with 

 spores or seeds of a difierent form. (Fig. 8.) 



Not only the fronds, but the stalks also, of the Bracken 

 become the home of a parasite of a similar character. 

 It is not uncommon to observe on these old stalks long 

 black marks, sometimes less than an inch, but often two 

 or three inches in length, and several of them together 

 These marks are slightly raised above the rest of the stem, 

 and contain the cells, elongated sacs, and spores or seeds 

 of another fungus J similar to that on the fronds. (Fig. 10.) 



Very recently Dr. E. Capron, of Shore, has detected 

 one or tvc^o other parasites of a similar nature on dead 

 Bracken stems, not before noticed in this country. 



Fig, 7. 



Fig, 8. 



Fig. 9. 



* DothideaJiUcina, f Sphoerella PteHdis, % JDothidea Pteridis. 



