FOMES APPLANATUS 



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consistence of each kind of fruit-body, etc., is given in the following 

 Table. 



Length of the Spore-fall Period in Hymenomycetes. 



From the data embodied in the Table one may conclude : 

 (1) that the range of the spore-discharge period for the Hymeno- 

 mycetes in general is from about an hour, as in Coprinus curtus, 

 to about six months, as in Fomes applanatus ; (2) that the rigidity 

 of a fruit-body and the length- of its spore-discharge period 

 are more or less directly correlated, the shortest spore-discharge 

 period being associated with the softest fleshed Agaricineae (the 

 Coprini) and the longest period with the hardest fleshed Polyporeae 

 (species of Fomes), moderately rigid species (Psalliota, Panaeolus, 

 Stropharia) having a spore-discharge period of medium length 

 only ; (3) that the genus Fomes is characterised by having a 

 very long spore-discharge period ; and (4) that of all the species 

 of Hymenomycetes so far investigated Fomes applanatus has by 

 far the longest spore-discharge period. 



The Mechanical Consistence of Coprinus and Fomes Fruit- 

 bodies Contrasted. It is interesting to note how beautifully the 

 mechanical consistence of a fruit-body is adapted to the 



1 Information kindly sent to me in a letter by J. H. Faull. 



