THE PSEUDORHIZA OF COPRINUS MACRORHIZUS 367 



manure, it enlarges, and its gills become better differentiated. After 

 the pseudorhiza has ceased its intercalary growth, the stipe-shaft 



Fig. 185. — Coprinus macrorhizus. Sections of finiit-bodies in various 

 stage3 of development, all with a pseudorhiza. A, the solid 

 pseudorhiza is capped by a very rudimentary pileus which is sliown 

 enlarged at G ; the fruit-body had not yet reached the surface of the 

 ground. B, a fruit-body approaching the surface of the ground : its 

 pileus is enlarging. C, D, E, F, succei5sive stages in the development 

 of the pileus and subaerial stipe. The dotted line shows the general 

 level of the substratum. In C, which lias a hollow pseudorhiza, the 

 spores have not yet been developed : the gills are white. In D, the 

 spores are ripening from below upwards : the gills are therefore turning 

 V)lack from below upwards. In E, black spores are present all the 

 way vip the gills, the aerial stipe-shaft is elongating, and the pileus 

 expanding. In F, the stipe-shaft has elongated, the gills are under- 

 going autodigestion, and spores are being shed. In G, which is the 

 apex of A magnified, the gills and pileus-flesh can be clearly perceived ; 

 i, the zone of intercalary growth of the pseudorhiza. A-F, natural 

 size ; G, magnification, 3. 



primordium, which has been enclosed between the gills, begins to 

 elongate. This results in the pileus being torn away from its base. 

 The universal veil is broken and a ring-like scar is usually left behind 



