330 BOTANY. 



For some reason these observations have fallen out of notice, 

 and they still are wanting confirmation. The close resem- 

 blance of these organs, as described, to the sexual organs of 

 Peziza, renders it probable that they are actually sexual in 

 their nature. 



429. More recently Eeess has published the results of 

 his observations upon Coprinus stercorarius.* He found 

 that upon short lateral branches of the young mycelium 

 many minute bodies (spermatia) are produced ; these, after 

 falling off, come in contact with a thick three-celled body 

 (carpogonium ?), Avhich they are supposed to fertilize. 

 Afterward from the basal cell numerous filaments grow 

 out, and eventually give rise to the sporocarp. f 



(a) In the study of the tissues of the Hymenomycetes young and 

 perfectly fresh specimens are the best ; where this is impossible they 

 may be preserved in alcohol, and then studied at leisure: Thin trans- 

 verse sections of the gills will invariably show basidia and spores. 



(6) The genera of this order differ not only as to the disposition of 

 the hymenium.but also as to the form of the sporocarp. With respect 

 to the latter, it is symmetrical and stalked, as in the common Mush- 

 room, or unsymmetrical and sessile, as in many species of Polyporus. 

 The texture of the sporocarp also varies from toft and deliquescent to 

 hard and durable. 



(c) The more common genera are Agaricus, with several hundred 

 species, Boletus, Polyporus, Hydnum, Stereum, and Clg/caria. 



(d) Nearly related to the Hymenomycetes, if not indeed tote included 

 with them, are the THEMELLINI, which are gelatinous fungi, upon whose 

 uneven surfaces is spread an hymenial layer, composed of basidia re- 

 sembling those of Hymenomycetes. Sachs regards these plants as con- 

 stituting a group related to, but distinct from, Hymenomycetes. 



(e) Many species are edible and nutritious. Agaricus campestris, the 

 Mushroom, is commonly cultivated. Dr. M. A. Curtis found in North 



* Dr. Max Reess," Zur Befruchtungsvorgang bei den Basidiomyceten," 

 1875. Van Tieghem, in " Comptes rendus," 1875, p. 378, makes pub- 

 lic the results of his investigations, which are essentially the same as 

 those of Reess. but a few months later he withdraws his statements : 

 " Comptes rendus/' 1875, p. 877. 



f It is scarcely necessary to refer to the paper by W. G. Smith in 

 " Grevillea," 1875, p. 53, in which he describes a fertilization of the 

 spores by spermatozoids developed by the cystidia. The many other 

 evident errors in the paper make the value of his observations upon 

 the supposed organs of fertilization exceedingly doubtful 



