FUNGI. 



251 



diverge from the centre right and left to the outside, where the cells of the hyphae are 

 short and round, and form the sub-hymenial layer {sh in B and C). From these short 

 cells spring the club-shaped cells (^), densely crowded and at right angles to the surface 

 of the lamella, forming together the hymenial layer {B, bj). INJany of these remain 

 sterile, and are called Paraphyses, others produce the Spores and are the Basidia. Each 

 basidium produces in this species only two, in other Hymenomycetes usually four spores. 

 The basidium first of all puts out as many slender branches (/) as there are spores 

 to be formed ; each of these branches 

 swells at the end, the swelling in- 

 creases and becomes a spore (/', /"), 

 which falls from the stalk on which 

 it was placed, leaving it behind (/"'). 



On the formation of the tissue of 

 this group only one further remark 

 need be made ; that in the receptacle 

 of some Agaricineae {e.g. Lactarius) 

 some of the much-branched hyphae 

 are transformed int3 laticiferous ves- 

 sels, from which large quantities of 

 latex flow out when injured. 



(2) The Gasteromycetea agree 

 with the previous group in the mode 

 of formation of their spores (eight 

 spores are often produced on a ba- 

 sidium) ; but their receptacles are 

 always angiocarpous. The hymenia 

 are formed in the interior of the 

 receptacle, which is at first usually 

 spherical, or at any rate is not di- 

 vided externally into distinct parts. 

 The spores are disseminated by means 

 of remarkable dificrentiations of the 

 different layers, the growth of par- 

 ticular masses of tissue, or the simple 

 bursting of the outer layer (the 

 Peridium). The nature of these 

 processes, which are extremely vari- 

 ous in their external appearance, 

 may be understood from two ex- 

 amples. The first example, Cruci- 

 bulum imlgare \ is selected from the 

 beautiful Nidularieae -. The my- 

 celium forms a small white crust of branched hyphae, which creep over the surface of 

 wood. In the middle of the crust the filaments are interwoven into a roundish body, the 

 rudiment of the receptacle ; this grows by the intercalation of new branches of the hyphae, 

 and gradually assumes a cylindrical form. The outer threads form at an early stage 

 yellowish-brown branches, which are again branched and directed outwards, forming a 

 dense covering of hair. While the receptacle is becoming changed into a cylinder, a large 

 number of brown threads shoot out from it externally to this (Fig. 175,(7, r/"), which 

 form a firmly-woven layer, the outer peridium, and on the outside a dense mass of 



Fig. iT\.—A/grat'ictis campestris ; structure of the hymenium ; A, B 

 slightly magnified ; C a part oi B (X3S0). The protoplasm is indicated 

 by fine dots. 



Compare Sachs in Bot. Zeitg. 1855. 



[See also Tulasne, Annales des Sci. Nat. 1844, vol. I, p. i.] 



