1900 | DEVELOPMENT OF TRICHURUS AND STYSANUS 313 
fresh and growing the heads are blackish gray, but when dry 
they assume a copper tint, or rather a color resembling the ° 
so-called purple-brown of the dark-spored agarics. The heads 
are supported on thin black stalks, which are usually longer than 
the head itself. The entire sporophore varies in length from 
0.75 to 2™™; sometimes under favorable conditions larger heads 
are formed on bean stems, but this would scarcely occur in nature. 
The microscopic structure of the sporophore is shown in 
jig. 1. The stipe is made up of many brown septate threads, 
growing closely together in a strict fascicle. Near their sum- 
mit the threads send out many short bottle-shaped basidia, 
which, without being attenuated to a distinct sterigma, bear long 
chains of spores. Among the spore-chains there arise many 
long tortuous threads, which form the distinguishing characteris- 
tic of this plant. The threads are brown near the base, becom- 
ing hyaline at the tips, and give the head the characteristic 
flocculent appearance. From the base of the stipe numerous 
threads radiate in all directions. These threads are septate like 
those of the stipe. They are brown near their origin, but termi- 
nate in hyaline growing points. They will be more fully treated 
below. 
The ripe spores of this plant are oval to oblong, with rounded 
or pointed ends (fig. 2). Ina single preparation, however, so 
many variations from this form are found that this description 
cannot be strictly applied. Sometimes they are even and quite 
regular in shape; then again one or both ends may be pointed 
lemon-form; or the entire spore may be more or less inequilateral 
and irregular. Under the microscope they are dilutely yellowish- 
brown. The differentiation between the wall and content can- 
not be recognized easily, the entire spore appearing as ore 
enous disk surrounded by a dark refractive ring. With high 
powers and careful focusing the wall and protoplasm can be 
made out. The spores are about 5-6 # in length, by 2.5-3# 11 
diameter, 
When these spores are sown on agar, germination begins 
immediately, and the spore swells until it is nearly twice its 
