COPRINUS STERQUILINUS 



195 



The rate of growth in length of 

 the stipe of a less vigorous fruit- 

 body was found to average • 7 cm. 

 per hour for five successive hours. 



The rapid elongation of the 

 stipe during about 12 hours before 

 the beginning of the spore-dis- 

 charge period does not take place 

 throughout the whole length of 

 the stipe-shaft, but only in that 

 portion which is enclosed within 

 the pileus. This was proved by 

 exact experiment. An elongating 

 fruit-body (Fig. 82, A) was 9-5 cm. 

 high. The exposed part of the 

 stipe below the pileus was 4*5 cm. 

 high, and the barrel-shaped pileus 

 and the enclosed part of the stipe 

 5 cm. high. A thin vertical slice 

 of the pileus which included about 

 four gills was cut away from the 

 disc downwards, and thereby a 

 portion of the stipe enclosed within 

 the pileus was exposed to view (5). 

 Horizontal lines (i), made with 

 Indian ink, were then drawn at 1 

 cm. intervals from the base of the 



Fig. 82. — Coprinus sterquilinus. Elon- 

 gation of the stipe of a fruit- body 

 growing on horse dung in a labora- 

 tory culture. A, a fruit-body from 

 which a piece of the pileus has been 

 removed exposing the stipe s. Indian 

 ink marks, i, were painted on the 

 stipe from below upwards at intervals 

 of 1 cm. Time 4.45 p.m. B, the same 

 fruit-body next morning at 11 a.m. 

 The stipe has now become 23 cm. 

 long. The change in position of the 

 ink marks is indicated by the arrows. 

 The uppermost part of the stipe Jias 

 elongated most. The scale is in cen- 

 timetres. About ^ the natural size. 





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