1922] Fruiting Stage of Tuckahoe, Pachyma Cocos 131 



itself to it, the bark should be intact. Such a case has been observed 

 also by Gore (7) and is illustrated in fig. 1 accompanying his ac- 

 count. 



2. Sclerotia attached to the roots have been unearthed near the 

 base of living trees. 



3. There is no evidence of mycelium or rhizomorphs in the soil 

 surrounding the sclerotia. 



4. Sclerotia have been found with portions of roots not only at 

 the end directed toward the tree, but also distal to it. If one fol- 

 lows the course of these roots into the sclerotia, all stages can be 

 found from what appears microscopically to be normal woody tissue 

 to a splitting apart and transformation of the xylem strands, which 

 are few in number toward the outside, but numerous and slender 

 toward the center of the sclerotium (figs. 3 & 4). In large sclerotia 

 all traces of the woody portions of the roots have disappeared at a 

 distance of about one and one-half inches from the end. In forming 

 such sclerotia it seems reasonable to suppose that as they enlarged 

 there was both a stretching apart of the woody tissue of the root and 

 at the same time a transformation of substance appropriated from 

 the root tissues. 



5. The roots at some distance from the body of the sclerotium 

 have to the unaided eye, apparently normal bark and wood tissues. 

 Both portions, however, on microscopic examination are found to be 

 invaded and the mycelium completely fills all intercellular and intra- 

 cellular spaces (fig. 8). 



Several investigators have held that the tuckahoe is to be regarded 

 as an altered or transformed state of the root. Gore (7) concludes 

 that such is the case in his discussion of their origin in which he 

 states that "Specimens in all stages of development are in my pos- 

 session from the root with only a film of the substance between the 

 bark and the woody part of the root up to pieces six inches in 

 diameter." MacBride (11) states that the growth originates be- 

 tween the bark and wood of living trees, that it gradually enlarges, 

 detaches the bark and transforms the root tissues into its own sub- 

 stance. Another observer quoted by Gore (7) in a letter to him 

 states that "this growth had taken place from the roots of pines 

 as was evident from some having just commenced growing, the pine 

 root extending through and reaching out on each side. Others had 



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