THE REPRODUCTION OF ASCOMYCETES. 
141 
some ambiguous reproductive bodies having the appearance of 
spermatia, but endowed with the germinative faculty ; it is this 
which causes them to take the name of spermatiform stylospores ; it 
is probably for this reason that the author has not believed it to be 
necessary to reunite to the Valsa, the veritable stylospores, which 
have been described under the special name of Diplodia^ and 
which so frequently accompany their spermogones, because it there 
had two sorts of spores capable of germinating. One can 
refer to the pages 188 {V. liphcBma) and 174 {V. corijlind)^ and 
will find the trace of this embarrassing case, which translates it- 
self, p. 170, in the description of the genus, Valsa, by these pre- 
cious words here gathered : “ Spermatia (qu^ si malueris microsly- 
losporas nonnunquam meritissime dicas ;”) ‘‘ a propos of the genus 
Eutypa^ p. 60 : “ Spermatia seu stylosporse d ptropos of the 
Dothidea, p. 65 : “ Spermatiae sive microstylospor^, etc.” 
The Cenanguim Ribk, Fr. (t. hi., pi. 19, fig. 1-9, p. 163) pre- 
sents, besides the stylospores, some much smaller corpuscles, which 
are only spermatia, but, as they germinate, M. Tulasne designates 
them under the name of conidia ; these last organs are exhibited 
with a much more characteristic form than amongst the C. Ulmi 
(Tub), in company of bigger stylospores. M. Tulasne says 
a propos of this, p. 171 : ‘‘Spermatia sinceriora mentiuntur 
bacillos plerisque Lichenum solennes.” These spores are really 
homologous in both cases : they germinate in the first, therefore 
they ought, probably, to germinate in the second, notwithstanding 
their characteristic form, I will venture to say typical, since it is 
among the Lichens that the spermatia have first been discovered. 
It appears, therefore, to be well established by the preceding 
that the spermatia ought to germinate, either upon water, as that 
resorted to already from the figures of M. Tulasne’s work, or in an 
appropriate nutritive liquid. This accords with the facts observed 
in the study of the development of the ascophorous development of 
the Ascomycetes ; the observations demonstrate that the fecunda- 
tion takes place at the time of the development of the conceptacle 
itself, by a conjugation of filaments, and not by the means of 
antherozoids. 
The nutritive liquid employed was chosen, not quite at hazard, 
but without other previous attempt for the substances introduced, 
and the proportions, than the triple primitive success, it has suc- 
ceeded in almost all the cases attempted, the filtre only failing fre- 
quently, without this it gives place to the development of bacteria ; 
if the spermatia were too numerous in the preparation, the germi- 
nation produced was bad. Certain reasons led to the belief that 
this liquid was not the best possible one, because, at times, it had 
a depot, the nature of which, besides, has not been recognised, but 
which did owe its production to a precipitation of a part of the 
sugar by the tannin ; it also at times forms like a pellicle, which 
ought to be attributed to the presence of the tannin. It is possible 
