GASTEROMYCETES 511 



which grow out into the interstices created by the columella branches, 

 and filled by intermediate tissue. On the distal ends, the columella 

 branches spread into scutiform structures, the volva gel plates, which 

 surround the interior of the fructification like an endoperidium. In the 

 second stage, which begins with Clathrus and Clathrella and extends 

 to Anthurus, there arises in this intermediate tissue a new organ, the 

 receptacle, which comes into close connection with the gleba, raises it 

 from the ground and from the sheath of the volva and the peridium and 

 makes possible an entomophilous dissemination. In the lower forms, as 

 in Clathrus, the receptacle is everywhere in contact with the gleba. In the 

 higher forms, there is differentiated an increasingly insignificant apical 

 part which serves as the point of attachment of the gleba and a basal 

 part, always increasing in importance, which fulfills the true mechanical 

 function of the receptacle. In the highest forms of the third stage, in 

 Aseroe rubra, the apical part the connection between receptacle and gleba 

 becomes lost, the gleba lies on the top of the columnar receptacle stipe and 

 is raised up by it. The vestiges of the earlier receptacle branches which 

 bore the gleba are functionless, the plates of intermediate tissue are 

 degenerate and in the egg stage the fructification is completely surrounded 

 by the volva gel. If one now imagines the receptacle branches are 

 entirely degenerated, so that only receptacle stipe remains, one has the 

 forms which will be discussed in the following family. 



Phallaceae. — The organization of the fructification of the Phallaceae 

 shows great similarity to that of the Clathraceae; as in the latter, there 

 is formed a receptacle, a gleba and a volva. Similarly, the ripe fructi- 

 fications of many species, as in the higher Clathraceae, emit an offensive, 

 penetrating odor which attracts insects. The Phallaceae, however, 

 differ from the Clathraceae in many details. 



As in the Clathraceae, the fructifications of Mutinus arise as terminal 

 swellings of rhizomorphs, whose core (Fig. 332, 1) passes over into the 

 columella Z. str., and whose rind becomes the loose rind R of the 

 young fructification. At the top of the columella the hyphae radiate 

 to a sheaf-like head K (E. Fischer, 1887, 1891, 1895, 1900, 1922, 1923; 

 Moeller, 1895; Burt, 1896; Petch, 1926). 



Most of the subsequent development takes place in this head. It 

 swells much, forces the rind apart and is differentiated (Fig. 332, 2) into 

 a loose layer VG, which soon gelifies, and to a closely intertwined central 

 portion 0, where the differentiation of the columella continues (Fig. 

 332, 3), dividing into an axial gelatinous column Z. str. and to a cap AP 

 which surrounds the top of the elongated columella. The cap is differ- 

 entiated (Fig. 332, 4) into the loose intermediate tissue A and more 

 solid peripheral zone P. On the inner proximal side of the zone P, there 

 arises as a cylindrical cover, a hyphal palisade H.A., which arches over 

 in pads and forms the fundament of the future gleba. 



