Saprophytic Plants
plants that feed on decaying organic matter. In PLANTS (q. v.), which are plants that live on or in and at the expense of other organisms, they are often devoid of liarity is obvious; chlorophyll being the material used by ordinary plants for the decomposition of the carbonic acid of the air in order that they may retain the carbon, and with it build up all the carbon compounds characteristic of organic nature, it is plain that those plants which obtain their carbon compounds readymade up to a certain point quire chlorophyll from which to manu- made up to a certain point do not reoint do not refacture them. If the saprophytism be not complete or "pure" there will be at least some chlorophyll remaining, as in not complete or "pure" there will be at the flowering axis of the orchid Neottia.
Saprophytes may obtain their nourishment and especially their carbon com- Saprophytes may obtain their nourishpounds either from the remains of dead organisms or from organic compounds formed by living organisms. The Fungi that live on the bark of trees and the leaf-soil of forests that live on the bark of trees and the ung leaf-soil of forests and meadows (e. g., case; those that feed on the juice of fruits and sugary solutions ( e . g., molds and yeasts) of the latter case. classiand yeasts) of the latter case. fied as parasites and saprophytes; but this classification does not coincide' with a morphological one. Further, there are certain species which lie between the two extremes, and these may be described as parasites which may become wholly or extremes, and these may be described whole course of their development or during certain stages of it; and also there ing certain stages of it; and also there whole course of their development or durvariations, may become parasitic. The external conditions necessary for the commencement of germination of The external conditions necessary for the germs and seeds of other plants; they are a certain temperature, a supply of oxygen and of water, in certain cases a supply of nutrient substances.
The are a certain temperature, a supply of oxygen and of water, in certain cases a water; nutrient solutions may even be a hindrance. The Mucorini, on the other hand, emit only rudimentary germ tubes in pure water; they require a nutrient solution for germination. vary toward one extreme or other accordion.
Most Fungi ing to the species.