116 



Mycologia 



cellular trichogynes of the lichens and other Ascomycetes func- 

 tion in sexual reproduction. These structures have arisen through 

 "progressive sterilization" and are taking on more and more 

 vegetative functions now that sexuality has been lost. About 

 the time Atkinson was formulating this theory, Killian (n) was 

 publishing a preliminary paper on Venturia in which he says the 

 nuclei from the antheridium pass into the trichogyne and travel 

 down the long ascogonial coil, the cross walls of which disor- 

 ganize. The theory of progressive sterilization of the tricho- 

 gyne is thus overthrown immediately and completely in the event 

 Killian's claim can be confirmed. I have not as yet seen his final 

 paper on the subject (12). In a still later paper on Cryptomyces 

 by the same autho*r (13) there are reported other interesting dis- 

 coveries, all of which, if true, go to show that one should not be 

 too dogmatic in considering a subject such as the sexuality of 

 the Asomycetes about which so little is really known. Little 

 short of a screen demonstration of the passage of the male nuclei 

 from the antheridium into the ascogenous cell will be accepted as 

 final proof that the multiseptate trichogyne functions in sexual 

 reproduction. There are those who deny that in Pyronema the 

 simple one-celled trichogyne functions. Brown (2) claims that 

 he studied a strain in which the trichogyne did not fuse with the 

 antheridium at all. Unfortunately he lost this curious strain 

 before his paper appeared in print. 



The Origin of the Ascocarp 



In a fertile culture from four to six days old, one can find 

 short one- or two-celled club-shaped branches growing in an erect 

 or oblique position at the surface of the medium. They may be 

 scattered about singly in certain regions (Text fig. 1) or they 

 are more commonly associated in pairs, and sometimes in groups 

 of three or four, all very much alike (Text figs. 2-5). In a very 

 few hours some of the paired branches elongate (Text fig. 4). 

 Both members may be somewhat curved and inclined, one slightly 

 above the other (Text fig. 5). In such case the lower one ceases 

 to elongate and remains a slightly curved two- or three-celled 

 antheridium. Very frequently, however, both structures arise at 



