BASIDIOMYCETES. 



161 



Order 1. Tomentellaceae. To this order belong the simplest of 

 the Hymenomycetes. The basidia (Fig. 145) arise free and irregu- 

 larly from the mycelium ; a hymenium is entirely absent or very 

 slightly formed '(in Corticium it attains its highest development) ; 

 fruit-bodies are also wanting. In general they form flaky, mem- 

 branous or leathery coverings on bark and wood. Some are 

 parasites. 



Hypochnus without conidia. Tomentella with conidiophores ; growing on 

 wood or earth. Exobasidium vaccinii (Fig. 163), a parasite on Vaccinium, 

 Andromeda, Arctostaphylos, and Rhododendron, forms flaky-powdery, white or 

 red coverings and may cause hypertrophy of the parts attacked. E. warininyii 

 is parasitic on Saxifraga ; E. lauri causes outgrowths on the stem of Laurus 

 canariensis as long as a finger, which formerly were regarded as aerial roots. 

 Corticium forms membranous to leathery layers or crusts; C. quercinum on 

 wood and bark, particularly Oak, is flesh-coloured ; C. cceru.leu.rn has a blue 

 hymenium ; C. giganteum on the bark of fallen Pine-trees. 



Order 2. Clavariacese. The hymenium is situated on a stroma, 

 and either completely covers the smooth surface of the more or less 

 fleshy gymnocarpic fruit-body, 

 or is confined to a tolerably 

 well defined upper portion 

 of it (Typhula}. Paraphyses 

 absent. The vertical, white, 

 yellow, or red fruit-bodies 

 are roundish or club -like, 

 undivided or richly branched 

 (Fig. 125). Generally on the 

 ground in woods, seldom on 

 tree-stems, etc. 



GENERA : Clavaria, generally 

 large Fungi with thick, round 

 branches. C. botrytis has a very 

 thick, tubercular stem with numer- 

 ous short, flesh-coloured branches: 

 it has an agreeable taste. C. coral- 



loides has a brittle, richly-branched fruit-body (Fig. 164) ; basidia with two 

 large spores. C. pistlllaris consists of a single, undivided club of a yellowish- 

 \vhite colour. Sparassis has compressed, leaf-like, curled branches ; S. crispa 

 has fruit-bodies as large as a white cabbage-head, with an agreeable taste. 

 Typhula and Pistillaria are small Fungi with filamentous stalks, terminating 

 in a small club. The fruit-bodies of the former often arise from a small, 

 spheroid sclerotium ; the latter is distinguished by the basidia bearing only 

 two spores. 



FIG. 164. Clavaria coralloides (nat. size . 



