TOADSTOOLS AND THEIR KINDRED. 



133 



The rank of this plant in the vegetal kingdom is settled by the 

 direction of growth of its vegetative system and by the nature of its 

 tissues. All flowering plants, as well as the ferns and mosses, have 

 their vegetative part made up of root, stem, and leaves. The root 

 grows downward and the stem upward. But the growth of the myce- 

 lium, the vegetative system of tlie mushroom, is horizontal ; there are 

 no signs of such organs as root and stem. In this respect it is on a 

 level with lichens and sea-weeds, and belongs at the foot of the scale 

 in vegetation. As respects the nature of its tissues and the absence 

 of woody fibre in its composition, it resembles all the flowerless plants 

 except ferns. But where are its immediate kindred ? Have mush- 

 rooms no nearer relations than mosses, lichens, and sea-weeds? 



To answer this question intelligently we must further observe the 

 structure of fleshy fungi. In the common mushroom, as we have seen, 

 the hymeniura is spread out upon the lamellated structure of the gills 

 an arrangement, however, which is not general. It is peculiar to a 

 single group known as agarics. This group has also tlie further gene- 

 ral characteristic of preferring to grow in shady places. But in this 

 latter respect the common mushroom is an exception. In its wild state 

 it flourishes best in meadows and pastures. Its scientific name is com- 

 posed of two words : one tells us the immediate group of toadstools 

 to which it belongs, and the other expresses this exceptional feature 

 in its constitution. The one which is put first is its family or surname, 

 Agaricus^ and the specific name, or what we may call the "given " 

 name, is ea')npestTi& (meaning field). These names are written in Latin 

 for the convenience of the botanists of different nations speaking dif- 

 ferent tongues, but for whom the Latin is a common medium of com- 

 munication. 



Fia. 4. PoLTPORua Giganteus (reduced). 



Now, the structure of the imder portion of the cap in some toad- 

 stools is porous instead of lamellar. The surface of the spore-bearing 

 hymenium is multiplied by means of pores or tubes which penetrate 

 tlie substance of the cap, as seen in Fig. 4. Two stetnless species of 

 this sort are shown in the plate as growing upon an old tree. 



Sometimes this under surface is seen to be quite smooth, or it 



