3 o2 RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



microscopical technique, has re-investigated the layers which 

 surround the glebal mass ; and her results confirm and extend those 

 of Fischer already described. Her observations were as follows. 

 In a median vertical section of a nearly mature sporocarp (Fig. 148) 

 one can distinguish : (a) the peridium and (b) the gleba. The 

 peridium (Figs. 148, 149, and 150), from without inwards, consists of 

 the following six layers : no. 1, mycelial hyphae surrounding the 

 exterior of the sporocarp ; no. 2, a gelatinous layer ; no. 3, a pseudo- 

 parenchymatous layer ; no. 4, a layer of interwoven, largely 

 tangential hyphae ; no. 5, a palisade layer, becoming pseudoparen- 

 chymatous over the top of the sporocarp ; and no. 6, a thin layer 

 of pseudoparenchyma surrounding the gleba. The gleba consists 

 of hyphae, numerous spores, and some gemmae. The increase of 

 the peridial layers to six from Fischer's four is due to the recognition 

 and inclusion of the outermost layer, no. 1, and the innermost 

 layer, no. 6. Just before the opening of the fruit-body, the broad 

 outer gelatinous layer of the sporocarp nearly disappears. The 

 sporocarp then breaks open in a stellate manner, the rupture taking 

 place through all the layers of the peridium except the thin pseudo- 

 parenchymatous layer (no. 6) which immediately surrounds the 

 gleba. The outer cells of this pseudoparenchymatous layer deli- 

 quesce, thus allowing all the outer peridial layers, nos. 1-5, to 

 separate from the gleba surrounded by the innermost peridial layer, 

 no. 6. The deliquescence begins in the pseudoparenchymatous 

 layer (no. 6) at the top of the sporocarp and proceeds downwards, 

 continuing after the sporocarp opens until shortly before the dis- 

 charge of the gleba. The watery substance so produced can be 

 seen within the open fruit -body and is often sufficient almost to 

 submerge the gleba. It can be drawn off in a capillary glass tube. 

 The outermost zone of the layer of the interwoven, largely tangential 

 hyphae, no. 4, which corresponds to Fischer's fibrous layer, under- 

 goes gelatinisation. This softening process begins basally and 

 progresses upwards with the result that, in the opened fruit -body 

 before the discharge of the projectile, a space is formed between the 

 layers no. 4 and no. 3 (Fig. 161, A and B, c, p. 316). After this 

 space has been formed, the upper everting membranes and lower 

 non-everting membranes are only held together at the points of the 



