In the thallus of the Roccelleae, the algal filament, also a
_Trentepohlia_, is broken up into separate cells, but in the
Coenogoniaceae, whether the gonidium be a _Cladophora_ as in _Racodium_,
or a _Trentepohlia_ as in _Coenogonium_, the filaments remain intact and
are invested more or less closely by the hyphae.
[Illustration: Fig. 13. Outer edge of _Phycopeltis expansa_ Jenn., the
alga attacked by hyphae and passing into separate gonidia × 500 (after
Vaughan Jennings).]
A somewhat different type of association takes place between alga and
fungus in _Strigula complanata_, an epiphyllous lichen more or less
common in tropical regions. Cunningham[221], who found it near Calcutta,
described the algal constituent and placed it in a new genus, _Mycoidea_
(_Cephaleuros_). It forms small plate-like expansions on the surface
of the leaf, and also penetrates below the cuticle, burrowing between
that and the epidermal cells; occasionally, as observed by Cunningham,
rhizoid-like growths pierce deeper into the tissue—into and below the
epidermal layer. Very frequently, in the wet season, a fungus takes
possession of the alga and slender colourless hyphae creep along its
surface by the side of the cell rows, sending out branches which grow
downwards. Marshall Ward[222] described the same lichen from Ceylon. He
states that the alga may be attacked at any stage, and if it is in a very
young condition it is killed by the fungus; at a more advanced period of
growth it continues to develop as an integral part of the lichen thallus,
but with more frequently divided and smaller cells. Vaughan Jennings[223]
observed _Strigula complanata_ in New Zealand associated with a closely
allied chroolepoid alga _Phycopeltis expansa_. He also noted the growth
of the fungus over the alga breaking up the plates of tissue and
separating the cells which, from yellow, change to a green colour and
become rounded off (Fig. 13). The mature lichen, a white thallus dotted
with black fruits, contrasts strikingly with the yellow membranous alga.
Lichen formation usually begins near the edge of the leaf and the margin
of the thallus itself is marked by a green zone showing where the fungus
has recently come into contact with the alga.
More recently Hans Fitting[224] has described “_Mycoidea parasitica_”
as it occurs on evergreen leaves in Java. The alga, a species of
_Cephaleuros_, though at first an epiphyte, becomes partially parasitic
at maturity. It penetrates below the cuticle to the outer epidermal cells
and may even reach the tissue below. When it is joined by the lichen
fungus, both constituents grow together to form the lichen. Fitting adds
that the leaf is evidently but little injured. In this lichen the alga in
the grip of the fungus loses its independence and may be killed off: it
is an instance of something like intermittent parasitism.
J. RECENT VIEWS ON SYMBIOSIS AND PARASITISM
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account