502 LIFE-HISTORIES 
Fie. 330.—Field Mushroom (see also Fig. 119). A, mycelium (m) produc- 
ing young fruit-bodies, +. J, a very young fruit-body cut vertically to 
show its relation to the mycelium (m). JI, same, a little older, showing 
the beginnings of gills (1). III, IV, V, later stages in which appear the 
stalk (st), the cap (hk) and the veil (v) protecting the gills till they are 
ripe. (Sachs.) 
cap. From the under side of the cap hang numerous thin 
plates, called ‘‘gills,’’ which radiate from the stalk to the 
margin of the cap. These gills (Fig. 331) bear the spore- 
producing layer which consists of swollen cell-tips beyond 
which. project club-shaped bodies developing horns, each 
tipped with a spore. These club-shaped spore-bases are 
called basidia.: 
1 Ba-sid’i-um < Gr. basis, base. 
