the Ascocarp in Monascus . 187 
The ascocarp evidently arises from an archicarp, as is the 
case with many other Ascomycetes, e. g. Sphaerotheca and 
Pyronema. The archicarp here consists of two organs ; one 
a male organ, the antheridial branch, and the other, the 
ascogonium, or female organ. A sexual process, represented 
by an undoubted fusion between the two, and probably also by 
multiple fusion between male and female nuclei, undoubtedly 
occurs, the antheridial branch appearing to take the most 
active part in the process of fusion as indicated by the forma- 
tion of the small papilla. As a result of this process, a 
fertilized cell, the central cell, is formed. From this, with the 
aid of the investing hyphae, the development of which seems 
to be called forth by the act of fertilization, the ascocarp is 
produced. The central cell swells enormously, the investing 
hyphae keeping pace with it at first by active growth, and 
later, when this ceases, by swelling and flattening. The latter 
effect is doubtless produced by continued growth of the central 
cell, which is also illustrated by the slight bulging that takes 
place at those portions of its surface which are uncovered by 
investing hyphae. The next step in the development consists 
in the formation of ascogenous hyphae from the central cell. 
It has not been possible to observe the earliest formation of 
these hyphae, owing among other things to difficulties in 
distinguishing them from investing hyphae. Nevertheless at 
a very young stage they have been observed as short-coiled 
comparatively stout hyphae situated in a kind of little nest or 
depression in the side of the central cell. The first appearance 
of this nest always coincides in point of time with the first 
appearance of the ascogenous hyphae as such, and it has been 
seen at a stage so early that it has been completely occupied 
by a single short-coiled hypha. It is then very small com- 
pared with the size of the central cell, and is always situated 
at some point of the surface of the latter, its exact position 
varying in different instances. It soon begins to increase in 
size, being all the while completely filled with closely entwined 
hyphae. Its growth continues, until it occupies almost the 
whole of the interior of the ascocarp. The ascogenous hyphae 
