BASIDIOMTCETES. 



161 



Order 1. Tomentellaceae. To this order belong the simplest of 

 the Hymenomycetes. The basidia (Fig. 145) arise free and irregu- 

 larly from the mycelium ; a Injmenium is entirely absent or very 

 slightly formed (in Corticium it attains its highest development); 

 fruit-bodies are also wanting. -In general they form flaky, mem- 

 branous or leathery coverings on bark and wood. Some 

 parasites. 



are 



Hypoehnus without conidia. Tomentella with conidiophores ; growing on 

 wood or earth. Exobasidium vaccinii (Fig. 163), a parasite on Vaccinium, 

 Andromeda, Arctostaphylos, and Rhododendron, forms flaky-powdery, white or 

 red coverings and may cause hypertrophy of the parts attacked. E. warmingii 

 is parasitic on Saxifraga E. lauri causes outgrowths on the stem of Laurus 

 canariensis as long as a finger, which formerly were regarded as aerial roots. 

 Corticium forms membranous to leathery layers or crusts ; C. quercinum on 

 wood and bark, particularly Oak, is flesh-coloured ; C. ccenileum has a blue 

 hyrneniurn ; C. giganteum on the bark of fallen Pine-trees. 



Order 2. Clavariacese. The hymenium is situated on a stroma, 

 and either completely covers the smooth surface of the more or less 

 fleshy gi/mnocarpic fruit-body, 



or is confined to a tolerably VM vu 



well defined upper portion 

 of it (Typhula). Paraphyses 

 absent. The vertical, white, 

 yellow, or red fruit-bodies 

 are roundish or club-like, 

 undivided or richly branched 

 (Fig. 125). Generally on the 

 ground in woods, seldom on 

 tree-stems, etc. 



GENERA : Clavaria, generally 

 large Fungi with thick, round 

 branches. C. botrytis has a very 

 thick, tubercular stem with numer- 

 ous short, flesh-coloured branches: 

 it has an agreeable taste. C. coral- 



lo'ules has a brittle, richly-branched fruit-body (Fig. 164) ; basidia with two 

 large spores. C. pist illaris consists of a single, undivided club of a yellowish- 

 white colour. Sparassis has compressed, leaf-like, curled branches ; S. crispa 

 has fruit-bodies as large as a white cabbage-head, with an agreeable taste. 

 Typhula and Pistillaria are small Fungi with filamentous stalks, terminating 

 in a small club. The fruit-bodies of the former often arise from a small, 

 spheroid sclerotium ; the latter is distinguished by the basidia bearing only 

 two spores. 



W. B. M 



FIG. 161. Clavaria coralloides (nat. size . 



