1 58 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



base. Ill most species the exoperidium becomes completely- 

 disorganised, often remaining in the form of warts on the 

 endoperidium. AMien dry the endoperidium is cartilaginous 

 and brittle, of a dirty ochraceous colour, becoming much 

 swollen when moistened. It consists, when young, of thick- 

 walled, more or less gelatinous hyphae ; later on the thick walls 

 become disorganised, and present the appearance of a loose weft 

 of hyphae imbedded in mucilage, but in reality the apparent 

 hyj)hae are the lumina of the original thick-walled cells. 



AVhen young the wall of the endoperidium is of equal 

 thickness, but during spore-formation local growth takes place 

 at the apex, forming a cylindrical umbo, the circumference of 

 which is furnished with several deep vertical furrows. At 

 this stage a red streak appears in the median line of each 

 vertical ridge dividing the furrows, these streaks being con- 

 tinued along the apical portion of the ridge and meeting in the 

 centre. These streaks extend through the entire thickness of 

 the wall, and form a central core down the umbo, the hyphae 

 becoming disintegrated as in the red zone. Eesulting from 

 this process is the formation of a mouth, the surrounding teeth 

 remaining closed until the period of dehiscence, when the 

 separation of the teeth takes place, the margins and inner 

 surface being covered with red powder. The endoperidium is 

 not differentiated from the exoperidium at the base. There is 

 no trace of a columella. The innermost layer, or spore-sac, is 

 yellowish white and flexible, perfectly free from the endoperid- 

 ium, except at the apex, where it remains attached to the inner 

 surface of the teeth. During spore-formation the central mass, 

 or gleba, is continuous with the inner wall of the spore-sac. 

 There are irregular cavities, and the basidia produce five or 

 six spores on wart-like projections at the apex. The spores 

 are globose at first, and colourless, then elliptical, pale, 

 ochraceous, and minutely warted. 



When the spores are ripe the basidia and the trama dissolve 

 into mucilage ; the gleba contracts, but still remains attached 

 to the apex of the peridium ; ultimately the mucilage contracts 

 and dries into irregular masses, leaving the spores quite free. 

 In the normal mode of dehiscence the spore -sac and its 

 contents appear to pass out at the mouth and remain attached 



