the Ascocarp in Monascus, 225 
and the Oomycetes. A comparison with the former has 
already been made, in which the most striking difference is 
the behaviour of the ascogonium, which becomes divided up 
into several cells, ascogenous branches being formed from 
each. This behaviour corresponds to that of the ascogonium 
of the Erysipheae, the members of which group show various 
degrees of complexity of the process. The simplest, or most 
reduced, method occurs in Sphaerotheca , in which form 
Harper (31) has shown that fusion takes place between the 
antheridium and ascogonium, followed by the fusion of a male 
and female nucleus and the division of the ascogonium into 
a few cells, one of which becomes converted directly into the 
single ascus. The nature of this ascus is therefore not quite 
the same as that of the ascus of Monascus , nor yet of the 
‘ sporangium ’ of Dipodascus , but stands between the two. 
There is a differentiation of the ascogonium into two portions, 
one sterile and the other sporogenous, the two parts being 
separated by walls. In Dipodascus the two portions are 
either undifferentiated or else the sterile portion is absent. 
In Monascus the ascogonium itself may be considered sterile, 
but a portion of its branches sporogenous. There does not 
seem to be a form corresponding to Sphaerotheca among the 
Oomycetes. Perhaps the Erysipheae, the Gymnoascaceae and 
other Plectascineae are derived from a Dipodascus- like fungus, 
and are through that related to those Oomycetes, the sporo- 
phyte generation in which is represented simply by a zoo- 
sporangium. Their relation to Monascus would then be close 
but indirect. The Erysipheae, however, may be regarded as 
derived from the Monascus type, if the view that Sphaerotheca 
is a reduced form be accepted. The genus Erysiphe is most 
like the Monascus type. The ascogonium, after fertilization by 
a single nuclear fusion, divides into a row of several cells from 
the penultimate one of which the whole of the ascogenous 
hyphae probably arise, according to Harper (9). The asco- 
genous hyphae are but feebly developed and soon become 
in part converted into asci. The penultimate cell of the 
ascogonium corresponds thus to the central cell of Monascus , 
Q 
