46 



a ring. The Common Field Agaric, on Plate II, shows the form- 

 ation and rupturing of this veil to perfection. 



In all of the iamilies of the Hymenomycetes (see chart), the 

 hymenium or spore surface is exposed, and the spores when mature 

 are borne away by the wind. In the GaFteromycetes, anotl^r 

 family or division of the Basidiomycetes, the spore-bearing sur- 

 face is enclosed within a covering, called the peridium. If we 

 translate the word Gasteromycetes literally, it means "Belly- 

 fungi" an appropriate name, as the spores are all hidden within 

 the belly-like pouch. This peridium sometimes opens regularly 

 at top, sometimes very irregularly, and sometimes not at all, un- 

 less the irregular scaling-off of the hard covering could be called 

 opening. The Puff-ball is a good example of this familv. As 

 this plant comes to maturity it opens on top, the contents are di- 

 vided up into a loose mass of spores and filaments, and the slight- 

 est pressure from the outside will cause to be ejected a yellow or 

 purple cloud of the contents. 



In the great class of Ascomycetes, a division of the Sporidifera, 

 the spores are not free and placed upon the tips of sterigmata, but 

 they are produced in little cases, called asci (singular "ascus"), 

 and these asci, together with sterile accompanying bodies called 

 paraphyses make up the hymenium. In both of these great classes 

 of fungi, the spores are produced asexually that is, without dis- 

 tinctly male and female organs. 



