the Prothallus of Equisetum debile , Roxb. 1 7 1 
conidiophores which have come out of the cells. It is probably a case 
of parasitism, and as the prothallus is so large it is not very injuriously 
affected. Occasionally prothalli were found showing the destruction of a 
large patch of the terminal cells of the lobes, 
while the rest of the prothallus was growing 
normally. Infection of prothalli of other species 
by Fungi also occurs (Tubeuf). 
The small spaces between the lobes serve 
to attract water by capillarity. If a prothallus 
is watered plentifully the water can be seen 
rising in various parts of the prothallus, and 
the whole may become quite wet, if the 
amount of water was sufficiently large, by 
absorption of water from below. 
Text-fig. 27. 
