A MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS PODAXIS DESV. (= PODAXON FR.). 35 



produced, especially in the extra large or deformed examples 

 (fig. 5). 



When the spores are differentiated, but before attaining their 

 full size, and while yet quite colourless, they escape from the asci 

 through an irregular slit, the latter persisting in the shrivelled form 

 seen on examining the hymenium of mature specimens (fig. 4). 

 The spores, when mature, are broadly elliptical, or sometimes sub- 

 globose, averaging 10-12 x 9 /x, perfectly smooth, and of a deep 

 translucent brown by transmitted light, and furnished with a single 

 well-defined germ-pore. When the spores are first liberated, the 

 colour of the gleba is very pale yellow, from this condition the 

 coloration passes through primrose-yellow to clear brown, and 

 eventually dark brown, as seen in the mass. The hyphae forming 

 the capillitium are readily recognised ha the earliest condition of 

 the gleba by their thick walls, absence of septa, and greater 

 diameter than the ascogenous hyphae, measuring 9-11 /xin diameter, 

 and originate as lateral branches along with the ascogenous hyphae, 

 from the central column or stem. When young, the hyphae of the 

 capillitium are colourless, straight, rarely branched, and in this 

 condition there is little or no indication of the spiral marking so 

 conspicuous at maturity ; during the development of the gleba the 

 capillitium-threads pass through the same sequence of coloration as 

 already described for the spores, commencing with pale yellow and 

 ending with bright brown. If a mature brown hypha is examined, 

 the optical section presents the appearance shown in fig. 6, proving 

 the presence of a thick wall, smooth externally, and apparently 

 enclosing an inner wall furnished with a very fine, close spiral. 

 This appearance is in reality due to the inner surface of the single 

 wall of the hypha being furnished with thin, close ridges arranged 

 in a spiral manner (fig. 7). This internal corrugation of the wall 

 is not due to apposition of new material, but to contraction of the 

 inner portion of the thick wall, and it is due to this internal 

 contraction that the originally straight hyphae present the curled 

 and contorted appearance seen at maturity ; if mature much-curled 

 hyphae are treated with sulphuric acid or potassic hydrate, the 

 internal ridges disappear, and the hypha becomes straight. At 

 maturity many of these hyphae break up into a flat spirally-twisted 

 ribbon, which is also due to the expansion and disappearance of the 

 internal ridges (fig. 6). In all probability the elasticity of the 

 capillitium assists in dehiscence and spore-dissemination. After 

 the formation of the spores, the compact basal portion below the 

 point of attachment of the lower margin of the peridium to the 

 central axis elongates into a hollow stem eight to ten inches high, 

 elevating the yet closed peridium far above ground. The ripening 

 of the gleba, as shown by the progressive coloration of the spores, 

 commences at the base, and nearest the axis, and progresses 

 towards the apex. When the spores are mature, and the capillitium 

 fully developed, the ascogenous hyphae with the clusters of shrivelled 

 asci can still be seen, and although usually colourless, are in some 

 instances more or less tinged with brown ; in the clusters of split 

 shrivelled asci are others that present no split or fracture in the 



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