393 
\ 
also true in Protomycetes. The chlamydospores produce a sporophore, 
as iu Chlainydomucor, but while it is accidental there, it is constant 
here, and while there it is a sporangiophore, here it is a basidium-like 
conidiophore. This intermediate group connecting Zygomycetes with 
Basidiomycetes separates naturally into two sub-groups, Ustilaginem, 
with septate conidiophores (promycelia) bearing conidia chiefly on 
their sides; and Tilletise, with undivided conidiophores (promycelia) 
bearing the conidia in a whorl at the apex. 
The Basidiomycetes are a very large group, rich in forms. Their 
most important character is the possession of basidia. The basidium 
is a conidiophore, which has become definitely restricted in shape, size, 
and the number of its spores. While an ordinary conidiophore pro¬ 
duces spores one after another, indefinitely, from any suitable part, the 
basidium produces only a definite number of spores, only once, and in a 
particular place, and after their separation it shrivels. There is also 
less variation in the size and shape of the individual spores. Only in 
rare cases do the basidiospores become several-celled before their 
separation from the basidium, and this, as in similar cases elsewhere, is 
to be looked upon simply as an anticipation of germination phenomenon. 
Most basidia bear 4 spores; rarely they bear 2, (3, or 8 spores. These 
variations may all occur in the members of a single genus, e. g., Hypoch- 
nus. As a rule the basidiospores are borne on comparatively long 
sterigmata. Like the Hemibasidia, the Basidiomycetes are separable 
into two corresponding, but more highly developed groups. In order 
that the basidium-like conidiophore of the Ustilaginem shall become 
a true basidium, its septa must be limited to a definite number, the 
position and number of sterigmata must also become definite, and 
finally only a single spore must be abjuncted from each sterigma. 
This is exactly what occurs in the Protobasidiomycetes, the first of 
the two subdivisions. The second and higher group consists of the 
true or Autobasidiomycetes, corresponding to the Tilletke; i. e., they 
have nonseptate basidia, but bear a definite number of basidiospores. 
In contrast to the Ascomycetes, naturally separable into Exoasci and 
Carpoasci, the formation of the fruit body in the conidial series is of 
secondary importance. Both Proto and Auto basidiomycetes begin 
with acarpous fruits, and from these have been developed the more 
highly organized forms having fruit bodies. The Protobasidiomycetes, 
or fungi having a septate basidium, are separable into four distinct 
groups: (1) Uredinese, having horizontally septate basidia, always free, 
never borne in fruit bodies, and always produced from a chlamydospore 
(teleutospore); (2) Auricularise, with basidia resembling Uredinem, 
but gymnocarpous, i. e., having fruit bodies which from the beginning 
form open hymenia; (3) Pilacrem, which also have horizontally septate 
basidia, but angiocarpous or closed fruit bodies; (4) Tremellineae, hav¬ 
ing vertically divided basidia borne in gymnocarpous fruits. The Uredi- 
nese are especially rich in chlamydospore forms; teleutospores, uredo- 
spores, and secidiospores are all types of this form. 
