GROUP I. THALLOPHYTA: FUNGI: BASIDIOMYCETES. 



317 



a stipe ; it bears on its under surface (rarely on its upper surface) a lamellate 1 

 hymenophore (see Fig. 219) ; the gonidiophore may be gymnocarpous ; or 

 hemiangiocarpous having a velum partiale (e.g. Cortinarius where the velum 

 is like a spider's web ; the sub-genus Psalliota of the genus Agaricus, including 

 A. campestris, the common Mushroom, etc.) ; or angiocarpous, having a velum 

 universale (e.g. the sub-genera Volvaria, Lepiota, and Amanita of the genus 

 Agaricus ; Nyctalis, Coprinus, etc.) ; in some species of Amanita there is both 

 a velum universale and a velum partiale. 



The great genus Agaricus is subdivided into a number of sub-genera belong- 

 ing to various groups distinguished by the colour of their basidiogonidia. 

 Amongst the other genera Coprinus has a gonidiophore which very soon under- 

 goes disintegration, forming a black shiny fluid; Lactarius contains milky 

 juice (latex). In Cantharellus the lamellae are prolonged down the stipe. Of 

 edible species the fol- 

 lowing may be named: . -^-^ n 

 Cantharellus cibarius, jffV jK^^^ 

 Lactarius deliciosus, AilM ISk ^mM':. >( u '" ) ' "" ^'* ? 

 Agaricus campestris, the 

 Mushroom, A. procerus 

 distinguished by a mov- 

 able ring, and A. ccesa- 

 reus : the poisonous 

 species are Lactariu* 

 torminosus and Agaricus 

 (Amanita) muscarius. 



Whilst the compound 

 gonidiophore is generally 

 fleshy, in some genera it 

 is of a hard or leathery 

 consistency ; these live 

 commonly on old wood ; 

 such are Panus, with a 

 small pileus mounted on 

 an eccentric stipe ; Len- 

 zites, where the pileus 

 is lateral and sessile ; 

 Marasmius, the elegant 



FIG. 222. A Section of young compound gonidiophore of 

 Agaricus (Amanita) vaginatus : v the velum universale ; 

 st the stipe ; h the pileus ; I the lamella : B the same 

 somewhat older ; the velum v is ruptured. C Agaricus 

 melleus : m the mycelium (Rhizomorpha) ; in the smaller 

 specimen to the right the hymenophore is still covered 

 by the velum partiale a ; in the larger specimen the velum 

 is almost completely ruptured, and remains attached to the 

 stipe as the ring, a. (| nat. size.) 



pilei of which are often seen on the leaves of Conifers which have fallen off. 



Order 2. Gasteromycetes. Angiocarpous ; the hymenium is either not ex- 

 posed at all, or only after the basidiogonidia are mature, by the dehiscence or 

 rupture of the peridium. The number of gonidia borne by a basidium varies 

 from 1-8 ; the sterigmata are apical, except in the genus Tulostoma, where they 

 are lateral. The hymenophore is here a more or less distinct organ, and is 

 termed the gleba. 



Fam. 1. Hymenogastrece. The compound gonidiophore is subterranean. It 

 consists of a thick indehiscent peridium, filled with a spongy persistent gleba, 

 the chambers of which are lined by the hymenium (Fig. 224 A). 



Principal genera : Hymenogaster, Octaviana, Ehizopogon, Melanogaster, 

 Hysterangium, Hydnangium. 



