TUAMETES. 455 



at thinning; and the prevention of unnecessary injuries to living 

 branches or stems. 



Trametes suaveolens (L), common on dead wiHow, is also 

 reported as parasitic on living stems, (firitain and U.S. America.) 



AGARICINEAE. 



Agaricus. 



Sporophores umbvella-shapcd and th'sliy, and decaying soon 

 after discharge of the spores. Hymenium on the under side 

 of the uml)rella, and spread over a series of radiating gills or 

 lamellae, easily divisible in a longitudinal direction. 



The genus is divided into sections and subgenera distinguished 

 by the colour of the spores ; the Cojyrinarii are black-spored ; 

 the spores of the Pratdli are dark purple, brownisli-purple, or 

 dark brown; of the Bermini brown, yellowish-brown, or orange: 

 of the Hi/pi>r/iv'/ii rosy or salmon-coloured : of the Lrucospori 

 white. 



Agaricus (Armillaria) melleus VahU dbitain and U.S. 

 .America.) 'i'lie iioncy-fungu.s or " liallimasch." The sporophores 

 are present in nundjers towards the close of summer on tree- 

 stools of all kinds, and on the bark of dead or living Conifers ; 

 also on timber, and even on earth. The fleshy stalk is somewhat 

 thickened towards its base, and towards the upper part bears 

 the membranous yellowish annnlus (Fig. 286). Tlie cap sur- 

 mounting the stalk is honey-coloured or brownish with dark 

 scales. The spores are white and bestrew adjacent ol)jects with 

 a mealy dust. The sporophores are edible. 



The connection Iietween the sporophores and the rhi/omorjih- 

 strands was proved by Hartig. These rhizomorphs are very 

 common and vary nuich in form ; they occur as round brown 

 strands running through the earth from root to root of attacked 

 trees; inside hollow stems and in wooden water-pipes, they 

 retain their rounded form, but under the bark of trees they 

 become dark brown flattened bands (Fig. 288). They are not 

 uncommon on timber : in mines they may be frecjuently 

 seen hanging from the woodwork as tangled clump.s, with 



PI. XI 



R. Hartig, Wirhtvjt Krankheilen, PI. I. ami II. ; Zer>ielzuii<i'<frxc/itiunnijen, 

 il. Ue Bary, Botan. Zeitum/, 18.19. Biefeld, Srhimmelpi/ze, Heft, in., 1H77. 



