Guide to the Mushrooms 17 



gradually narrows to a point, they are at- 

 tenuate; Avlien they end in a sharp angle, 

 acute; when the ends are rounded, obtuse; 

 when the gills are connected bv veins, they 

 are said to be anasto)nosecl; when of the 

 same length, equal or rer/ular; when of 

 V a r y i n g lengths, irref/ular or u)ie([ual; 

 when one short one is interspersed be- 

 tween two or more longer ones regularly, 

 they are said to be forked. If the gills are 

 placed closely together, they are said to l)e 

 crouded; if at some distance a])ai-t, dis- 

 taiit. The relation of the gills to the stem 

 is also of the greatest im])ortance as many 

 types are identified l)y this characteristic. 

 Gills are free, when they are rounded off 

 without reaching the sitem ;ad)iexed, when 

 they reach the stem and are attached by 

 the upper end; adnate when they reach and 

 set squarely against the stem; decurrent 

 when they extend down the stem; sinuate 

 when thev are wavy near the stem. In cer- 

 tain families of mushrooms, the edge of the 

 gills is shari) like the blade of a knife; in 

 others blunt, obtuse; in others toothed like 

 a saw; others scalloped, crenulate. Again 



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