CONIOMYCE´TES (κὁνις, dust, μὑκης, fungus).--This Order contains some beautiful microscopic Fungi, several of which are very common. Many of them grow upon living plants, while others are found upon decaying stems, sticks, &c. The mycelium consists of inconspicuous, fine filaments, which run beneath the epidermis and bark of leaves and stems, or exist in the intercellular passages, the fruit bursting through the surface. The spores are short-stalked, forming _sty´lospores_ (στῦλος, stalk, σπὁρος, seed) or _conid´ia_ (κονἱδιον, little dust). But there is great confusion in the descriptions of the spores of the same Fungus by different botanical authors, some describing the fruit (in Pl. VII. fig. 15, for instance) as composed of rows of spores, while others regard it as forming a single septate (_septum_, a partition) or partitioned spore. _Tor´ula herbárum_ (Pl. VII. fig. 12) is very common on the decaying stems of plants, especially those belonging to the Parsley order (Umbelliferæ), forming greenish-black streaks or patches. The spores (fig. 13) are grouped into chains or beaded (moniliform) rows, with very short stalks, and these are crowded to form the black patches visible to the naked eye. Under the microscope the spores appear of a brown colour. _Torula cásei_ (Pl. VII. fig. 11) forms reddish or white patches upon decaying cheese. It consists of branched, interwoven, tufted filaments (_flocci_), with comparatively large spherical spores arranged in rows at their ends. _Nemas´pora crócea_ (Pl. VII. fig. 10) is a very curious member of this Order, and is found upon decaying beech-sticks. It appears as an orange-coloured tendril-like gelatinous mass of spores, bursting through a little pore on the surface of the bark. The spores (fig. 10 _a_) are very minute, slender, and curved, and under a high power appear jointed.