542 



HUTCHINSON'S POPULAR BOTANY 



types of sporophores. Such examples as we are able to mention and 

 illustrate are sufficiently striking to those who imagine that Fungi are 

 either toadstools or moulds. Between these two types there is a long 

 line of forms differing widely from both extremes. 



The order Hymenomycetes is so called because the spore-bearing 

 surface consists of a membrane (hymenium), which is fully exposed when 

 the sporophore is properly mature. It is divided into six families. 



The Solitary Toadstool (Amanita solitaria, fig. 680) may be taken as 



Photo by] 



FIG. 687. DRY ROT (Merulius lachrymans). 



[E. Step. 



Portions of the huge sporophore (several feet across) developed on oak panelling. The most destructive pest of 



worked timber. 



an example of the family Agaricineae, which is divided into several sections 

 according to the colour of the spores white-spored, pink-spored, yellow- 

 spored, and black or purple-spored. In this family, consisting of the 

 mushrooms and toadstools, the sporophore consists typically of a stem 

 (mostly central) supporting a pileus or cap, whose lower surface bears a 

 large number of plates (gills) set on edge and radiating from the stem. 

 The object of this plan of structure appears to be to increase the spore- 

 bearing surface, for the hymeiiium is spread over both sides of the 



