214 Barker . — The Morphology and Development of 
ascocarp, and the manner of their arrangement around the 
central cell, certainly serve however to maintain the developing 
asci in a position of security within the cavity of the perithe- 
cium. Another possible function is suggested by the analogy 
of the investing hyphae to the auxiliary cells of the Florideae, 
a relationship of the Ascomycetes to this group having been 
considered likely by many authors. The function of the 
auxiliary cells seems to be that of supplying nourishment 
to the growing sporogenous ooblastema filaments. The 
investing hyphae may therefore serve to supply nutrient 
material to the developing central cell, and thus indirectly 
to the ascogenous hyphae, although no fusion takes place 
between them and the central cell as is the case between 
the ooblastema filaments and the auxiliary cells. The close 
application of the investing hyphae to the central cell doubt- 
less renders fusion unnecessary. 
If these are the functions of the investing hyphae generally 
among the higher Ascomycetes, and in a correspondingly less 
degree among the lower forms in which these structures are 
not so well developed, one would expect to find them per- 
formed in the latter instances to some extent by the asco- 
gonium itself. The peculiar shape taken by the developing 
central cell in Monascits has already been mentioned above 
on several occasions. A little consideration shows that 
this shape is the one most suited to carry out the combined 
functions of protection and nutrition for the growing asco- 
genous hyphae. The protective function is undoubtedly 
utilized, for after it has shrunken and its walls have become 
cutinized the young asci are completely enclosed in the 
resistent envelope thus produced by it. It exercises naturally 
a nutritive function, since the ascogenous hyphae arise directly 
from it. But this is exerted in an increased degree by the 
method of arrangement of these hyphae in relation to it. 
They are so arranged that they are in close contact with 
it from the moment of development, and the young vigorously 
growing tips appear to actually press into it, the cavity 
eventually becoming enlarged by this means. With such 
