258 



INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY 



to the stalk beneath by means of a layer of hyphse (the veil). 

 In some species, when the veil breaks away from the pileus, 

 it forms a ring, or annulus, about the stalk. 



The underside of the pileus is made up of plate-like growths 

 (gills) which radiate from the stalk. Some of the hyphse 

 winch compose the gills extend from the surface of the gill, 



FIG. 200. A poisonous fungus (Amanita muscaria) 

 From A. H. R. Buller's "Researches on Fungi" 



and upon this extended tip (the basidium, or stalk) four 

 (rarely two) branches are formed. Upon the tip of each 

 branch a spore (^asidiospore~) is formed (fig. 201). When the 

 spores fall upon moist, warm, nutrient material, they produce 

 a new mycelium. If the pileus of a ripe mushroom is cut from 

 the stalk and placed, with the gills downward, upon a piece of 

 ordinary white or blank paper, after a few hours a spore print 

 composed of thousands of spores will be made. 



