330 DIVISION II. — COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT OF FUNGI. 



ever been found. Every piece of the mycelium, in Coprinus every bil even of 



a mutilated sporophorc, ma\ under conditions favourable to growth form the hyphal 

 branches which become a sporophore. The filiform mycelia, the sclerotia which may 

 be produced on them, and the strands of Agaricus melleus (see page 23) behave 

 alike in these respeeis. 



In the rest (if the Coprini which have been examined and in Typhula also the 

 mode of development is the same as in the above species, but a complication occurs 

 in them more or less frequently, which will be considered presently. 



In Crucibulum again and Cyathus the course of events is entirely the same 

 as that in the Hymenomycctes above mentioned. In the proper nutrient solutions, 

 especially decoctions of dung, and a not too low temperature (i5°-i8° C, according to 

 Eidam 2 5°c), the basidiospores put out germ-tubes, which under favourable conditions 

 develope directly into a mycelium, and its branches form the coils of primordial 

 hyphae which develope into peridia without the interposition of any intermediate 

 members. 



The history of Sphaerobolus is very peculiar according to E. Fischer's account 

 of that plant. It was stated on page 328 that the sporangium. or pcridium when 

 flung off has the basidiospores mixed with the mucilage-cells and the gemmae. 

 These are all so firmly held together by the tenacious mucilage, that it is very 

 difficult to isolate them, and a spontaneous separation of the several elements has 

 never been observed, and from what we know is scarcely conceivable. If a sporan- 

 gium is flung to a spot where there is no moisture it dries up into a firm bard bod}*, 

 which retains its vitality for months and swells when moistened, and then exhibits the 

 same phenomena of germination as a recently ejected specimen. But if a sporangium 

 falls at once on a moist substance, it puts out numerous germ-tubes from its entire 

 surface, so that it may be densely covered in a day or two with white hyphae 

 radiating in every direction. On a substratum which supplies sufficient nourishment 

 these develope without interruption into a mycelium which produces new peridia in 

 a few weeks or months without the aid of any other organs of reproduction. 



It may be said therefore that the whole sporangium thus remaining in connection 

 produces by germination the commencement of a mycelium of many hyphae, and 

 that hardly any other mode of germination could occur in the natural course of 

 development, though it is easy to show that portions of the sporangium artificially 

 separated and even individual cells, if naturally capable of germination, may be made 

 to germinate when isolated in water or a nutrient solution. 



A closer examination of the incidents in the entire sporangium discloses however 

 the curious fact, that the germ-tubes which spring from the surface and develope into 

 a mycelium proceed, as far as can be observed, from the gemmae and not from the 

 basidiospores. As tin- germination of the whole body proceeds the basidiospores 

 lose their protoplasm and their membranes become more delicate and paler, and are 

 pierced with holes in places, and they themselves at length entirely disappear; the 

 products of their disorganisation are evidently employed with the mucilage which 

 envelopes them as food for the germ-tubes. Isolated gemmae germinate quickly 

 and readily in water, and normal mycelium is obtained from their germ-tubes, if proper 

 nutriment is supplied. Isolated basidiospores rarelj produced germ-tubes in Fischer's 

 experiments; as a rule they did not germinate: and in the normal germination of 



