Development of Ep hells. 39 
hyphae forming the stem run mostly parallel in the direction 
of its length, are thick-walled, sparsely septate, and on enter- 
ing the head diverge in a radiating manner towards the 
circumference, where they increase in thickness, are furnished 
with numerous septa, and form the cortex, which eventually 
becomes black (Fig. 16). The structure of the ascophore 
is at first uniform, and smooth externally; but before it 
bursts through the primary cortex a number of minute differ- 
entiated spherical coils of hyphae or primordia are formed 
at a short distance below the cortex. These primordia, the 
minute structure of which could not be determined from dried 
material, are the starting-points of perithecia, which, when 
mature are flask-shaped, with an elongated neck, opening by 
a definitely formed ostiolum through the blackened cortex, 
which is raised as a papilla ; hence the surface of the mature 
ascophore is warted (Fig. 10). When mature the perithecia 
consist of a thin wall composed of very slender interwoven 
hyphae, sharply differentiated from the stroma in which they 
are imbedded, and filled with cylindrico-clavate asci measur- 
ing 1 20—1 30 x 10-12 /x (Fig. 12), each containing eight fili- 
form, colourless, continuous sporidia 90-100 x 1*5 1^ (Fig. 13). 
The stem of the ascophore remains rudimentary until the 
perithecia are completely formed, when it elongates until it 
reaches a length varying in different individuals from 3-4 mm. 
During the increase in length the axial portion grows at a 
greater rate than the peripheral, in consequence the cortical 
hyphae are ruptured, the free tips spreading and giving the 
stem a minutely scaly appearance (Fig. 10). The general 
structure of the ascigerous stroma agrees closely with that 
of Claviceps purpurea , as described and figured by Tulasne 1 ; 
but in the latter the gonidial mode of reproduction differs 
considerably from what occurs in the plant under consideration. 
George Massee. 
1 Memoire sur 1 ’Ergot des Glumacees. in Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 3, vol. xx. p. 5, 
PI. 1-4. Figures reproduced by De Bary in Biol, of Fungi, Mycetozoa and 
Bacteria (Engl, ed.), Fig. 108. 
