22 FUNGI. 



series of spores is quite possible. Basidia exhausted entirely of 

 their contents, and which have become quite hyaline, may often 

 be observed. 



The cystidia are usually larger than the basidia, varying in 

 size and form in different species. They present the appearance 

 of large sterile cells, attenuated upwards, sometimes into a 

 slender neck. Corda was of opinion that these were male 

 organs, and gave them the name of pollinaires. Hoffmann has 

 also described * both these organs under the names of pollinaria 

 and spermatia, but does not appear to recognize in them the 

 sexual elements which those names would indicate ; whilst 

 de Seynes suggests that the cystidia are only organs returned to 

 vegetative functions by a sort of hypertrophy of the basidia. f 

 This view seems to be supported by the fact that, in the section 

 Pluteus and some others, the cystidia are surmounted by short 

 horns resembling sterigmata. Hoffmann has also indicated J 

 the passage of cystidia into basidia. The evidence seems to be in 

 favour of regarding the cystidia as barren conditions of basidia. 

 There are to be found upon the hymenium of Agarics a third 

 kind of elongated cells, called by Corda basilary cells, and by 

 Hoffmann " sterile cells," which are either equal in size or smaller 

 than the basidia, with which also their structure agrees, except- 

 ing in the development of spicules. These are the " proper cells 

 of the hymenium " of Leveille, and are simply the terminal cells 

 of the gill structure cells which, under vigorous conditions, 

 might be developed into basidia, but which are commonly 

 arrested in their development. As suggested by de Seynes, the 

 hymenium seems to be reduced to great simplicity, " one sole 

 and self-same organ is the basis of it; according as it experiences 

 an arrest of development, as it grows and fructifies, or as it 

 becomes hypertrophied, it gives us a paraphyse, a basidium, or 

 a cystidium in other terms, atrophied basidium, normal basi- 



* " Die Pollinarien und Spermatien von Agaricus," in "Botanische Zeitung," 

 Feb. 29 and March 7, 1856. 



t " Essai d'une Flore mycologique de la Region de Montpellier." Paris, 1863. 



J Hoffmann, "Botanische Zeitung," 1856, p. 139. 



Corda, " Icones Fungorum hucusque cognitorum," iii. p. 41. Prague, 1839. 



