Reproduction in the Mushroom Tribe. By W. G. Smith. 7 



rested in the ground for twelve months. In digging up old pasture 

 ground, or the dead leaves of an autumn .which has passed, myce- 

 lium in a resting state is invariably found. There is no such long 

 rest with the mycelium of Coprinus radiatus, for so long as the 

 weather is not too dry, too wet, or too cold, the fungus goes on per- 

 fecting itself day after day without ceasing. During hot, very 

 wet, or frosty weather the spawn lies buried, and it rests in the 

 warm, moist dung for short periods of time only. 



Coprinus radiatus, Fr., is one of the dung-borne Agarics with 

 a cap which measures from an eighth to one-quarter of an inch in 

 diameter, and this filmy pileus is supported on a stem, which on an 

 average measures from a quarter to thi'ee-eighths of an inch or more 

 in height (Figs. 1 and 2, A). The whole cap is a mere transparent 

 film, and the fragile stem is like an atom of gossamer thread. A 

 breath will totally break down and collapse every part of the plant, 

 whilst a heavy dew or slight shower of rain will destroy a whole 

 colony. These minute Agarics can only be gathered with the aid of 

 small forceps, for if they are taken in the fingers they at once 

 collapse, become liquid and vanish. So little moisture does a single 

 specimen contain that it is lost in the moment or two consumed in 

 taking it for examination from the garden to the houpe. The 

 young plants may generally be seen dotted over the dung, like in 

 size to so many pins' heads (Fig. 1, B), and from this, the infant 

 state, to maturity, the growth of the fungus is very rapid. At 

 seven or eight in the evening nothing but immature plants can be 

 seen (Fig. 1, C, D, enlarged 20 diameters) ; about eleven or twelve 

 a rapid growth commences, and by two or three o'clock in the 

 morning the full size is reached. If the morning is moist the 

 plants will remain in perfection till nine or ten o'clock, but if it is 

 dry they will not last after five or six. On shady roadsides or in 

 dark places the time required for growth may probably be a little 

 more or less, but the present observations apply to the plants as 

 found growing on dung in a light and open place. 



To get a good view of C. radiatus it is necessary to magnify it 

 at least from 50 to 100 diameters; the nature of the stem and 

 gills can then be made out, and all the individual component cells 

 be clearly seen. 



Mature plants are figured at E, F (Fig. 1). enlarged 10 and 20 

 diameters, the first showing the nature of the outer surface of 

 pileus, with its furrows, and the other the lower or fruiting surface, 

 with the nature of the gills, and the collar formed by them near 

 the insertion of the stem. At G is shown the relative number of 

 the basidia or privileged cells, which carry the naked spores, and at 

 H the relative number and position of other privileged cells, termed 

 cystidia. To these latter bodies I shall presently refer more fully, 

 and they are merely adverted to here that some idea may be formed 



