220 



PLANT LIFE. 



these chambers rupture at the maturity of the spores, or even 

 earlier. 



The fructification may be irregularly lobed, sessile and 

 gelatinous, or much branched and cylindrical or flattened, 



Fig. 217. — Fructification of Hydnum imbricatum. 

 The surface of the projecting spines on the under 

 side of the cap are covered with the hymenium. 

 Natural size.— After Kemer. 



with the hymenium covering the 

 whole or the upper part of the body, 

 as in Clavaria (fig. 215) ; or it may 

 form an umbrella-like, stalked cap, 

 as in toadstools, with the hymenium 

 extending over radiating plates on 

 the under side of the cap, as in Agari- 

 cus (fig. 216), or over spine-like pro- 

 jections in the same region, as in 

 Hydnum (fig. 217); or it maybe 

 a semicircular, sessile body projecting 

 from the substratum like a shelf or 

 bracket, with the hymenium lining 



Fig. 218.— Trunk of an ash tree, 

 showing fructifications of Poly- 

 /orus ignarius. After a pho- 

 tograph by Von Tubeuf. 



innumerable minute 



