IIYMENOM7CETES. 



329 



of the Ascomycetes (Fig. 196, a, b, and c), are filled with 

 granular protoplasm ; when the projections (sterigmata) 

 make their appearance, the protoplasm in the basidium 

 passes into them, and is slightly withdrawn from its lower 

 end. Each sterigma swells at its extremity into a bladder- 

 shaped body, the young spore, and as it enlarges the proto- 

 plasm of the basidium is passed into it. By the time the 

 spores are full grown the protoplasm has nearly all disap- 

 peared from the basidia. The spores, when ripe, separate 

 themselves from the sterigmata by 

 a transverse partition, and soon 

 fall off. 



427. With regard to the ger- 

 mination of the spores but little is 

 known, but in Coprinus, according 

 to Van'Tieghem,* they give rise to 

 a mycelium, and this is probably 

 the case with all. 



428. The existence of sexual 

 organs in the Hymenomycetes is 

 still involved in much doubt. (Er- 

 sted describedf long ago certain 

 bodies which he discovered on the 

 mycelium of Agaricus variabilis 

 just before the formation of the 

 sporocarp. They are described as 

 consisting of two kinds of cells, 

 viz., (1) single curved, and almost reniform cells, which grow 

 out from the sides of the hyphae ; they are .02 mm. long and 

 about . 01 mm. in diameter, and appear to be separated from 

 the hyphae from which they grow by a septum ; (2) very slen- 

 der filiform cells, which grow out from beneath the former. 

 OErsted saw (in two instances) a union of these two organs. 

 He came to the conclusion that the sporocarp was the result 

 of a growth due to several such unions i.e., that the sporo- 

 carp was the result not of one, but of several fertilizations. 



Pi" 226a. A small portion of 

 the hymenium of Gomphidium. 

 a, sterile cells ; b, basidia each 

 with some of the spores attached; 

 c, a cystidium. After De Seynes. 



* "Comptes rendus," 1875. 



f In the work already cited in the foot-note on p. 



