9S 



BA S IDIOM J 'CE TF.S 



basidia which bear the spores are arranged in a sort of membrane 

 (Jivmeniuni) which covers various exposed portions of the fungus 

 either the ends of clubs or coral -like branches as in Clavaria, or 

 spread out over a flattish surface as in Ste?^ruju, or covering the 

 surface of spines, teeth or thin plates or lamellae as in Hydnuni 

 and Agaricus, or lining the interior surface of pores or tubes as 

 in Boletus and Poly poms. In this order generic and family dis- 

 tinctions are often confused since exceptional forms stand on the 

 boundary- lines of two genera or even of two families. The fol- 

 lowing families, however, in most cases, may be somewhat 

 easilv distingruished : 



'£5' 



1. Qub-shaped or forming masses of erect branches rising from a common 



base ; spores bome on the upper portions. Family 3. Clavariaceae. 

 Provided with a cap (pileus) and central stem, or bracket-like, or en- 

 tirely resupinate ; spore-bearing surface normally underneath. 2. 



2. Spores bome on radiating lamellae. Family 7. Agaricaceae. 

 Spores bome on teeth, tubercles, or tooth-like plates,* projecting down- 

 ward in growth. Family 4. Hydnaceae. 



Spores borne on the interior of pores or tubes or lab\Tinthine passages,t 

 rarely with merely shallow anastomosing folds. 3. 



Spores covering smooth or mould-like surfaces, only slightly roughened 

 or ■wTinkled. 4. 



3. Pores more or less readily separating from the pileus and from each 



other ; substance fleshy ; stem central or lateral. 



Family 6. Boletaceae. 



Pores not easily separating from the pileus ; substance rarely fleshy, 



more commonly leather}', corky or woody. Family 5. Polyporaceae. 



4. Basidia loosely aggregated on a mould-like or arachnoid base, formed 



from loose floccose hj^phae. . Family I. Hypochnaceae. 



Basidia closely aggregated, forming a compact crust-like layer ;- resupi- 

 nate or sometimes pileate. Family 2. Thelephoraceae. 



* Some forms of Polyporaceae when old have lacerated pores which 

 are often indistinguishable from flattened teeth. This is especially notice- 

 able in P. pergar/ieiius , one of our commonest and most widely distributed 

 species. 



f In a few cases merely anastomosing lamellae, thus forming an easy 

 transition to certain Agaricaceae. 



