4 RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



cystidia of Coprinus atramentarius ; but, here again, no nuclear 

 fusions could be observed. It thus appears that paraphyses and 

 cystidia differ from basidia in their nuclear behaviour. 



The Discharge of Spores from the Basidia. The discharge of 

 spores from their basidia was first observed in 1843 by Schmitz 

 who studied the hymenium of the living fruit-bodies of Thelephora 

 sericea (probably Stereum hirsutum). He discovered that the four 

 spores of each basidium are discharged in succession. 1 Brefeld, in 

 1877, stated that the four spores of each basidium of Coprinus 

 stercorarius are shot off simultaneously. 2 Zalewski, in 1883, gave 

 an account of some observations on species of Coprinus and Russula, 

 and upon Cantharellus cibarius, which afforded evidence that the 

 spores of each basidium in these species are often shot off in succes- 

 sion. 3 Fayod, in 1889, stated that successive discharge takes place 

 in Galera tenera* Finally, in 1909, in the first volume of this work, 

 I showed by means of detailed observations made upon a number 

 of species of Hymenomycetes that successive discharge of the four 

 spores of each basidium is the rule, and that simultaneous discharge 

 is either very rare or never occurs at all. 5 



That the spores are violently projected from their basidia was 

 first asserted by Brefeld 6 in the account of his investigations on 

 Coprinus stercorarius and Amanila muscaria. Zalewski 7 and Fayod, 8 

 who used other species, confirmed Brefeld's observations. In 1909, 

 by employing precise methods, I established the fact of violent 

 projection for the Hymenomycetes in general. 9 



Brefeld, 10 in his foot-note on the discharge of spores in Coprinus 

 stercorarius, asserted that after discharge drops of water are left on 



1 J. Schmitz, " Beitrage zur Anatomie und Physiologic der Schwamme," Linnaea, 

 Bd. XVII, 1843, p. 434. 



2 0. Brefeld, Botanische Untersuchungen uber Schimmelpilze, Heft III, 1877, 

 pp. 65-66. 



3 A. Zalewski, " Uber Sporenabschniirung und Sporenabf alien bei den Pilzen," 

 Flora, Bd. LXVI, 1883, p. 266. 



4 V. Fayod, loc. cit., p. 272. 



5 A. H. R. Buller, Researches on Fungi, vol. i, 1909, pp. 144-146. 



6 0. Brefeld, loc. cit., pp. 65, 66, and 132. 



7 Zalewski, loc. cit. 8 V. Fayod, loc. cit., pp. 271-272. 

 9 A. H. R. Buller, loc. cit., vol. i. Chap. X, pp. 120-147. 



10 O. Brefeld, loc. cit., pp. 65-66. 



