176 BASIDIOMYCETES. 



Order 4. Nidulariaceae (Nest-Fungi). Small Fungi of 

 which the fruit-body at first is spherical or cylindrical but upon 

 maturity it becomes cupular or vase-like, and contains several 

 lenticular " peridiola " lying like eggs in a, nest. The peridiola 

 are the chambers which contain the hymenium, covered by a thin 

 layer of the gleba, all the remaining portion of the gleba becoming 

 dissolved. On decaying wood. 



Nidularia has spherical fruit-bodies containing a large number of lenticular 

 peridiola, embedded in a slimy mass. Crncibuhim has fruit-bodies resembling 

 crucibles with discoid peridiola, each with a spirally-twisted stalk. Cyathus 

 has a fruit-body, which when open is campauulate, with stratified peridium, 

 and long-stalked, lense-shaped peridiola. 



Order 5. Hymenogastraceae. Fruit-bodies tubercular, 

 globose and subterranean, resembling very closely the Truffles, 

 from which they can only be distinguished with certainty by 

 microscopic means. The peridium is simple, capillitium wanting, 

 and the gleba encloses a system of labyrinthine passages covered 

 with a continuous hymenium. The fruit-bodies persist for some 

 time, and form a fleshy mass, the spores being only set free by 

 the decay of the fruit-body, or when it is eaten by animals. The 

 majority are South European. Hymenogaster, ^lelanoijaster, 

 Rhizopoijon (Fig. 181 I-IV). 



APPENDIX TO THE BASIDIOMYCETES : 

 Basidiolichenes (Lichen-forming Basidiomycetes). 



Several Fungi belonging to the Basidiomycetes have a symbiotic 

 relationship with Alga? exactly similar to that enjoyed by certain 

 Ascomycetes, and these are therefore included under the term. 

 Lichens (p. 136). They are chiefly tropical. 



Order 1. Hymenolichenes. To this order belong some 

 gymnoca.rpic forms : Cora, Dictyonema, Laudatea. l 



Order 2. Gasterolichenes. To this belong some angiocarpic 

 forms : Emericella, Trichocoma. 



APPENDIX TO THE FUNGI. 

 Fungi imperfect! (Incompletely known Fungi). 



1. The Saccharomyces-forms are Fungi which are only 

 known in their yeast-conidial form. They are conidia of higher 



1 The two last genera are identical, the Algal part being a Scytonema, that of 

 Cora a Chroococcus ; while the same Fungus a Thelephora takes part in the 

 formation of all three (A. Holler, Flora, 1893). 



