ON THE PJLOBOLIDiE. 
133 
artificial nature, classes the Mucorini near to the Ascomycetes, 
that is, to the Pezizse and Spliseriae, with which they have 
nothing in common, but the fact that their ordinary spores 
are produced by the endogenous subdivision of the contents 
of certain cells, called sporangia in the one and asci in the 
others. But with the exception of this one solitary point ot 
similarity, the Mucorini are wholly different from the Asco¬ 
mycetes ; they are really of a very low grade of organisation, 
and must be placed not far from the Myxomycetes themselves. 
Their nearest allies are to be found in the genera Cystopus 
and Peronospora, which by the same system are classified 
among the Coniomycetes and the Hypliomycetes respectively, 
and in other genera not included in the Handbook. 
Part II.—MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 
1.—The Mucorini. 
The Mucorini are characterised especially by their 
mycelium, at first unicellular, that is, not divided by trans¬ 
verse septa, however much it may be branched; septa are, 
however, afterwards produced at certain places for the purpose 
of restricting and directing the movements of the protoplasm. 
Branches of this mycelium are directed upwards, and bear 
usually globose or subglobose (in one group, cylindrical) 
sporangia, containing endospores. Sometimes in the course 
of the mycelium itself, or on short lateral branches, local 
accumulations of the protoplasm surround themselves by a 
firm membrane, and constitute a multiplicative apparatus, 
under the name of chlamydospores. Other branches of the 
mycelium end in cells, which are cut off by septa, and unite 
in pairs: the product of this union is called a zygote (formerly 
a zygospore), and corresponds to the fertilised ovule among 
the Phanerogams. The conjugating cells may or may not 
present appreciable sexual differences. The protoplasm which 
traverses the mycelium also offers certain characters by which 
by which it is essentially distinguished from that of other Fungi. 
The Mucorini may be divided into four main groups :— 
CQ * 
ui 
<D ^ 
i—l Cd 
2 S 
ce * A 
tic ce 
a o 
C 
S-i © 
O 
ft'a 
W 00 * 
Sporangial membrane hete¬ 
rogeneous, that is, consisting 
of a superior persistent cuti- 
cularised cap, and an inferior 
diffluent zone. Pilobolid/e. 
Sporangial membrane homo¬ 
geneous, either entirely dif¬ 
fluent or entirely persistent; 
the extreme lower portion is, f 
however, sometimes more per 
\sistent than the rest. 
Columella pre¬ 
sent usually very 
conspicuous .... Mucorid^e. 
Columella want- 
Ung. Mortierellidae. 
Sporangia cylindrical and grouped in heads. Syncephalid.e. 
