TRAMETES. 455 



at thinning; and the prevention of unnecessary injuries to living 

 branches or stems. 



Trametes suaveolens (L.), common on dead willow, is also 

 reported as parasitic on living stems. (Britain and U.S. America.) 



AGARICINEAE. 



Agaricus. 



Sporophores umbrella-shaped and fleshy, and decaying soon 

 after discharge of the spores. Hymenium on the under side 

 of the umbrella, and spread over a series of radiating gills or 

 lamellae, easily divisible in a longitudinal direction. 



The genus is divided into sections and subgenera distinguished 

 by the colour of the spores ; the GopriTvarii are black-spored ; 

 the spores of the Pratelli are dark purple, brownish-purple, or 

 dark brown ; of the Dermini brown, yellowish-brown, or orange ; 

 of the Hyporhodii rosy or salmon-coloured ; of the Zeiwospori 

 white. 



Agaricus (Armillaria) melleus Vahl.^ (Britain and U.S. 

 America.) The honey-fungus or " hallimasch." The sporophores 

 are present in numbers towards the close of summer on tree- 

 stools of all kinds, and on the bark of dead or living Conifers ; 

 also on timber, and even on earth. The fleshy stalk is somewhat 

 thickened towards its base, and towards the upper part bears 

 the membranous yellowish annulus (Fig. 286). The cap sur- 

 mounting the stalk is honey-coloured or brownish with dark 

 scales. The spores are white and bestre.w adjacent objects with 

 a mealy dust. The sporophores are edible. 



The connection between the sporophores and the rhizomorph- 

 strands was proved by Hartig. These rhizomorphs are very 

 common and vary much in form ; they occur as round brown 

 strands running through the earth from root to root of attacked 

 trees ; inside hollow stems and in wooden water-pipes, they 

 retain their rounded form, but under the bark of trees they 

 become dark brown flattened bands (Fig. 288). They are not 

 uncommon on timber; in mines they may be frequently 

 seen hanging from the woodwork as tangled clumps, with 



^ R. Hartig, Wichtige Krankheiten, PI. I. and II. ; Zersetztwdserscheimmgen, 

 PI. XI. De Bary, Botaii. Zeitung, 1859. Brefeld, Schimmelpihe, Heft, m., 1877. 



