ASCOMYCETES. 



Fruit, consisting of sporidia, mostly definite, contained in asci, springing 

 I'loin !i naked or enclosed stratum of fructifying cells, and forming a 

 Lymeuium. — Cooke and Berkeley. 



Prof. -T. de Seyne states that the three elements which form the hyme- 

 iiium in the families Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes are (1) the 

 normal basidium, that is, the fruitful club-shaped cell which supports the 

 naked spores, (2) the cystidium or sterile cell, an aborted or atrophied 

 basidium, and (3) the paraphyses, hyi^ertrophied basidium, the one organ, 

 the basidium, being the basis of it all, according as it experiences an arrest 

 of development, as it grows and fructifies, or as it becomes hypertrophied. 



In the family Ascomycetes a minute ascus or spore case envelops the 

 sporidia, and takes the place of the basidium, and the hymenium consists 

 of (1) the asci containing the sporidia, (2) the paraphyses, and (3) a color- 

 less or yellowish mucilage which envelops the paraphyses and asci. The 

 asci are present in all species. In some species, however, the paraphyses 

 are rare, and the mucilaginous substance is entirely wanting. The asci 

 differ in shape and size, according to the species. The paraphyses, 

 when present, are at first very short, but they rapidly elongate, and 

 are wholly developed before the appearance of the asci. They are 

 linear, simple or branched according to the species of plant, usually con- 

 taining oily granules. There is some difference of opinion among mycolo- 

 gists as to the special functions of the paraphyses, some considering 

 them as abortive asci, and others, like Boudier, as excitatory organs for 

 the dehiscence of the asci, by which the spores are liberated. 



The family Ascomycetes is rich in genera and species. 

 -w^ It consists largely of microscopic fungi, however, and the only group 

 j which will be considered here is that which includes plants of the mush- 

 ^ room family which are edible and indigenous to this country, viz., the sub- 

 family Discomycetes. 



*| DISCOMYCETES. 



^ The name Discomycetes, " disk-like fungi," does not give an accurate 

 ^ idea of the distinguishing charactertistics of this sub-familj^ the discoid 

 form only belonging to the plants of one of its groups. In the Discomy- 

 Cvj cetejB the hymenium is superior, that is, disposed upon the upper or ex- 

 2- terior surface of tlie mushroom cap. The sporidia are produced in mem- 

 :j% braneous asci, usually four or eight, or some multiple of that number, 

 •• in each ascus ; Cooke says " rarely four, most commonly eight." The 

 2J sporidia are usually hyaline, transparent ; colored sporidia are rare. 

 ^ The asci are so minute as to be imperceptible to the naked eye ; but if 

 a small portion of the upper surface of the cap is removed with a pen- 

 knife and placed under a microscope having a magnifying power of from 



