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generation ( Cijclus generationis ) of all the three organic 
kingdoms, then the cycle of generation of animals and plants 
is an amphigenesis, while, on the other hand, the cycle of 
generation of the Protista is a monogenesis. (On this, com- 
pare ‘Generelle Morphologic/ vol. ii, pp. TO, 83.) 
If, on the ground of this criterion, we would strictly bring 
to an issue the separation of the three kingdoms, we must 
include in the Protista a few groups of the lowest organisms, 
which hitherto rank among the true plants, but in which 
sexual reproduction is absent. This can be done so much the 
sooner, as, independently of this, in them the main decisive 
vegetable characters are obliterated, and they present close 
relations instead with several groups of Protista. Above all, 
one would be justified in removing the large and multiform 
class of Fungi from the vegetable kingdom, and placing them 
near Myxomyeetes among the Protista. The whole method 
of nourishment and assimilation of the fungi, in connection 
with many other characters (especially the total absence of 
chlorophyll) , remove them so far from the true plants that 
the earlier botanists long siuce wished to establish for the fungi 
a special organic kingdom. 
On similar grounds one would also be enabled to rank the 
Phycochromaceac (Chroococcaceae and Oscillarinece) as a 
group of Protista, and, perhaps, also the Codiolaceae (Codio- 
lum, &c.). On the other side, the Yolvocineee, distinguished 
by their sexual reproduction, must be separated from the 
Flagellata and placed with the true Algae. Many trans- 
positions of this sort must ere long occur, according as 
our knowledge of one group or another becomes apparently 
more complete. But in no case shall we, as I think, ever 
succeed in erecting an absolute wall of separation between 
the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and be able to refer 
a portion of the Protista with absolute certainty to the 
plants, and another to the animals. Also, by my proposed 
entire systematic separation of the three kingdoms, the 
practical end of a differential diagnosis is made easier, and 
an absolute separation of Animals, Protista, and Plants, 
as three fundamentally different organic groups, is by no 
means maintained. Rather do I abide by the conjecture 
put forward in my ‘ Generelle Morphologie 3 that both the 
animal and vegetable kingdoms have derived their first root 
from one or several Protista groups, while other Protista 
groups [e.g. Diatomacese, Myxomyceta, Rhizopoda) have 
developed themselves independently and unconnected with 
these. Finally, that all organic stems may have been con- 
nected at their oldest root is likewise very conceivable. The 
