HISTOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF FUNGI 53 



the presence of lignin is proved thereby must remain an open ques- 

 tion. Deposits and incrustations of calcium oxalate crystals are found 

 in the membranes of fungi, as the spicules in the sporangial wall of 

 Mucor mucedo. 



The cell contents, or protoplasm, of fungi may be divided into 

 cytoplasm with its inclusions and nucleoplasm. The cells contain 

 either a single nucleus (Erysiphe), two, as in Exoascus, or several, 

 as in the mycelial cells of Penicillium glaticum and Peziza convexula. 

 The hyphae of many contain numerous, sometimes over hundreds 

 of nuclei (PHYCOMYCETES). The structure of the nucleus in 

 basidia as described by Wager agrees with that of the higher flowering 

 plants. It has a nuclear membrane, nucleolus and nuclear network of 

 threads coiled in a loose knot. Chromatin granules occur. The nucleus 

 undergoes division either by fission, or by karyokinesis, as first observed 

 by Sadebeck. Chromosomes are formed from the chromatin bodies 

 when the nucleus begins to divide. A reduction of chromosomes has 

 been observed by Stevens. Fats and oils are present in fungous cells 

 and are found in the form of drops or globules. Glycogen has been de- 

 tected in the spore sacs of the ASCOMYCETALES. Volutin is a 

 name given by Meyer to a reserve substance which contained C, H, O, N 

 and P atoms. Mannite, trehalose and glucose have been found in 

 many fungi by Bourquelot. Special substances of a poisonous nature 

 such as ergotin, muscarin, phalhn are of special significance in cer- 

 tain fungi. 



Colors. — Full details regarding the coloring matters in fungi will 

 be found in Zopf's "Die Pilze in morphologischer, physiologischer, 

 biologischer und systematischer Beziehung," 1890. Clear bright 

 colors are present in such species as Peziza aurantia, P. coccinea. 

 Russula virescens, has a cap with shade of green lighter, or darker, in 

 individual specimens. Russula emetica is red. Blue is the predominat- 

 ing color in the genus Leptonia. Armillaria mellea has a honey- 

 brown, or yellow color. The violet color of Cortinarius violaceus is 

 well known. The color in a number of fleshy fungi changes when the 

 fruit bodies are broken, injured or exposed to the air. This change of 

 color is due to an oxidizing enzyme. The flesh of a number of species 

 of Boletus changes from white or yellow to a deep indigo-blue when 

 broken, or abraded. The deliquescence of species of the genus 

 Coprhius, when the color changes from white to black with the melting 



