Group IL BASIDIO-GASTROMYCET^S. 



The name Gastromycetes or Gasteromycetes is derived from 

 the Greek gaster^ a stomach, and mukes, a fungus. The 

 hymenium is enclosed in a cavity surrounded by a membrana- 

 ceous covering called a peridium (from peridio, I wrap around), 

 which sooner or later shed the enclosed spores, which are 

 formed inside on basidii and spicules. The peridium may be 

 simple or double. To shed the spores it may open by an orifice 

 or it may open by decay. The cavity consists of two parts : 

 the threaded part, which consists of threads called the capilli- 

 tium, and a cellular part, from which the capillitium arises, is 

 called the gleba. In some species the hymenium is deliques- 

 cent, such as the Phalloides. 



Berkeley in his ' ' Outlines ' ' gives the following definition of 

 this family : " Hymenium more or less permanently concealed, 

 consisting in most cases of closely packed cells, of which the 

 fertile ones bear naked spores on distinct spicules, exposed only 

 by the rupture or decay of the investing coat or peridium." 



The following natural orders are included under this group 

 or family : 



Hypoge^. — Subterraneous. No specimen found. 

 Phali^oide^. — Terrestrial. Hymenium deliquescent. 

 NiDULARiACE/^. — Peridium enclosing sporangia. 

 LycopkrdacE/E. — Cellular at first. Hymenium drying up 

 into a mass of spores and threads. 



Order I. PHAI,I,OIDB^. Fr. 



Volva universal, the intermediate structure gelatinous. 



Hymenium deliquescent. — Berkeley Outlines. 



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