The Key 



spicuous fungi which bear their spores in transparent sacs (see 

 first page of Key). 



The third contains ail fungi which bear their spores on en- 

 larged cells called basidia (see first page of Key). 



To even partially understand the inconspicuous fungi is a 

 task impossible to one who is not familiar with the use of a com- 

 pound microscope. To acquire a knowledge sulTiciently accu- 

 rate to identify nearly all of the conspicuous fungi is within the 

 power of any intelligent person, for the two groups or classes 

 containing the conspicuous species may be divided, on account 

 of easily distinguished characters, into groups called orders. 

 The orders may be divided into groups called families, and the 

 families into groups called genera (singular genus), and the 

 genera into individual specimens called species; and all these 

 groups may be arranged in such a way that the series of selec- 

 tions may be quickly made. Such an arrangement of groups is 

 called a key. 



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