OF BRITISH FUNGI. 15 



together in the form of a series of plates radiating from 

 the stem ; the two sides of these folds adhere more or 

 less by their backs, and in some species may be easily 

 opened out. Upon the surface of the hymenium will 

 be found a number of swollen threads or cells, called 

 sporophores, or basidia (&), each surmounted by four 

 smaller branches, termed spicules, or stigmata (a), each 

 of which is terminated by a spore. An immense number 

 of these spores are borne on the hymenium 

 of a single fungus, as will be evident by 

 the deposit obtained in the manner already 

 indicated. The spores vary not only in size, 

 but also in colour and form. Fries says 

 of them : " They are so infinite for in a single indi- 

 vidual I have reckoned above 10,000,000 so subtile, 

 scarcely visible to the eye, and resembling thin smoke ; 

 so light, and are dispersed in so many ways, that it 

 is difficult to conceive a place from which they can be 

 excluded." 



The whole of the description now concluded will 

 only apply to the Agaricini, or Gill-bearing Fungi. Of 

 these there are believed to exist at least one thousand 

 species, and one-tenth of them are probably esculent, 

 while perhaps one-sixth of them are not positively 

 unwholesome. 



To determine the species to which any individual 

 Agaric may belong, it is necessary that the following 

 particulars should be noted i.e., whether found grow- 

 ing singly or in groups, and whether, if gregarious, it 

 formed a portion of a ring ; also, if found on the ground 



