CURRENT LITERATURE 
NOTES FOR STUDENTS 
Development in gymnocarpous Agaricaceae.—In a recent paper Miss 
Dovetas' describes the development of 7 species of gymnocarpous Agaricaceae. 
She studied one species of Mycena (M. subalcalina), 3 of Hygrophorus (H. 
miniatus, H. nitidus, and H. borealis), and 3 of Entoloma (E. flavifolium, E. 
grayanum, and E. cuspidatum). The general course of development is alike 
in all the species, the variations presented relating to specific or generic features. 
The fundament of the fruit body just before the differentiation of the stipe 
and pileus primordia is cone-shaped, homogeneous in structure, the hyphae 
more or less interlaced and branched, extending in general parallel with the 
central axis of the cone. The surface is more or less floccose from the ends of 
single hyphae, or minute tufts, which diverge slightly. The young fundament 
of Entoloma cuspidatum differs from that of the others in being greatly elongated 
in proportion to its diameter, being nearly cylindrical, or even slightly clavate, 
with a conoid apex. The slender, elongate fundament appears to bear a direct 
relation to the slender form of the mature basidiocarp, and also to the very 
moist habitat of the species. The specimens studied were growing in sphag- 
num. The rapid elongation of the fundament serves to bring the growing 
points out of the watery environment in which they originate at the apex of 
slender rhizomorphs. 
The growing point for the formation of new tissue is apical, while elonga- 
tion occurs in the older hyphae. The first evidence of pileus formation is a 
great increase in the apical hyphae which begin to diverge, thus giving to the 
young fundament a sheaflike form. The pileus and stipe fundaments are thus 
differentiated. While apical growth of the basidiocarp continues, the most 
active seat of new tissue formation is now shifted from the apex to the annual 
furrow between pileus and stem primordia, and later to the under surface and 
extreme margin of the pileus. This marks the origin of the hymenophore. 
It begins at once in the 3 species of Hygrophorus, but is delayed for a short time 
after differentiation of the stipe and pileus fundaments in Mycena subalcalina 
and in the 3 species of Entoloma. It is recognized by the rich protoplasmic 
content of the hyphae, which usually react more strongly to stains, and thus 
become more deeply colored. The growth direction of these hyphae of the 
‘Dovuctas, Gertrupe E., The development of some exogenous species of 
agarics. Amer. Jour. Bot. 5:36-54. pls. 1-7. 1018. 
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