﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  15 
  

  

  now 
  under 
  description 
  this 
  hymenium 
  is 
  folded 
  or 
  plaited 
  

   together 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  plates 
  radiating 
  from 
  

   the 
  stem 
  ; 
  the 
  two 
  sides 
  of 
  these 
  folds 
  adhere 
  more 
  or 
  

   less 
  by 
  their 
  backs, 
  and 
  in 
  some 
  species 
  may 
  be 
  easily 
  

   opened 
  out. 
  Upon 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  hymenium 
  will 
  

   be 
  found 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  swollen 
  threads 
  or 
  cells, 
  called 
  

   sporophores, 
  or 
  basidia 
  (b), 
  each 
  surmounted 
  by 
  four 
  

   smaller 
  branches, 
  termed 
  spicules, 
  or 
  stigmata 
  (a), 
  each 
  

   of 
  which 
  is 
  terminated 
  by 
  a 
  spore. 
  An 
  immense 
  number 
  

   of 
  these 
  spores 
  are 
  borne 
  on 
  the 
  hymenium 
  

   of 
  a 
  single 
  fungus, 
  as 
  will 
  be 
  evident 
  by 
  

   the 
  deposit 
  obtained 
  in 
  the 
  manner 
  already 
  

   indicated. 
  The 
  spores 
  vary 
  not 
  only 
  in 
  size, 
  

   but 
  also 
  in 
  colour 
  and 
  form. 
  Fries 
  says 
  

   of 
  them 
  :— 
  " 
  They 
  are 
  so 
  infinite 
  — 
  for 
  in 
  a 
  single 
  indi- 
  

   vidual 
  I 
  have 
  reckoned 
  above 
  10,000,000— 
  so 
  subtile, 
  

   scarcely 
  visible 
  to 
  the 
  eye, 
  and 
  resembling 
  thin 
  smoke 
  ; 
  

   so 
  light, 
  and 
  are 
  dispersed 
  in 
  so 
  many 
  ways, 
  that 
  it 
  

   is 
  difficult 
  to 
  conceive 
  a 
  place 
  from 
  which 
  they 
  can 
  be 
  

   excluded." 
  

  

  The 
  whole 
  of 
  the 
  description 
  now 
  concluded 
  will 
  

   only 
  apply 
  to 
  the 
  Agaricini, 
  or 
  Gill-bearing 
  Fungi. 
  Of 
  

   these 
  there 
  are 
  believed 
  to 
  exist 
  at 
  least 
  three 
  thousand 
  

   species, 
  and 
  one-tenth 
  of 
  them 
  are 
  probably 
  esculent, 
  

   while 
  perhaps 
  one 
  sixth 
  of 
  them 
  are 
  not 
  positively 
  

   unwholesome. 
  

  

  To 
  determine 
  the 
  species 
  to 
  which 
  any 
  individual 
  

   Agaric 
  may 
  belong, 
  it 
  is 
  necessary 
  that 
  the 
  following 
  

   particulars 
  should 
  be 
  noted 
  — 
  i.k., 
  whether 
  found 
  grow- 
  

   ing 
  singly 
  or 
  in 
  groups, 
  and 
  whether, 
  if 
  gregarious, 
  it 
  

  

  