MARASMIUS OREADES 



95 



Volume II. 1 In six basidia it was found that the period of time 

 elapsing from the first formation of the spores as tiny rudiments to 

 the discharge of the first spore was on 

 the average about one hour and thirty 

 minutes. The observations were made 

 in the middle- of the second day of 

 the spore-discharge period. Let us 

 consider the appearance of the 

 hymenium as it is at any particular 

 moment, such as is represented by 

 the camera-lvcida drawing given in 

 Fig. 39, A. After about one hour 

 and a half this apj^earance will have 

 completely changed, for all the spores, 

 even those which were at first nothing 

 but tiny rudiments, will have been 

 discharged. If we assume, as I think 

 we are justified in doing, that the 

 rate of development of the spores on 

 individual basidia remains fairly con- 

 stant for a period of twenty-four 

 hours, then in this time there would 

 be sixteen complete changes in the 

 appearance of the hymenium so far 

 as the spore-picture is concerned. 

 With the lengthening of the period 

 of spore-discharge to five days the 

 number of changes in the spore-picture 

 would be proportionately increased. 

 Even should the rate of development 

 of the spores of individual basidia slow down somewhat toward 

 the latter part of the spore-discharge period, as I suspect it 

 does, we can yet be safe in believing that the number of complete 

 changes in the spore-picture of the hymenium on any one particular 

 area is very large, in round figures probably exceeding fifty. It may 

 be added that the number of basidia developing spores at one and 

 ^ Researches on Funrji, vol. ii, 1922, pp. 43-46. 



Fig. 41. — Marasmius orendes. 

 The hymenium, about the 

 middle of the spore-discharge 

 period, seen in surface view, 

 showing tlie spores only. The 

 basidia wliich, as regards tlieir 

 spores, are in about the same 

 stage of development are well 

 separated from one another. 

 At a is a basidium which has 

 just shot away its first spore ; 

 b, c, two basidia with nearly 

 ripe spores : d, an abnormal 

 basidium with three nearly ripe 

 spores and one aborted spore ; 

 e, four partly grown spores ; 

 /, a basidium having three 

 spores only ; g, four spores 

 just coming into existence on 

 the ends of their sterigmata. 

 Magnification, 330. 



