78 



EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 



The first of these divisions — the Sporifera, or 

 naked -spored fungi — is again subdivided into four 

 families, as follows : 



1. Hymenomycetes. Hymeniuin, or spore-bearing 

 surface, exposed and conspicuous, as seen in the 

 common mushroom and all Agarics and Polyporei. 



2. Gasteromycetes {gaster, a belly). Hymenium, or 

 spore- bearing surface, enclosed in a more or less 

 spherical case, called the peridium, which ruptures 

 and expels the spores at maturity in the form of dust, 

 as in the puff-balls. 



3. Coniomycetes, from the Greek ko}v'i<;, meaning 

 dust, the entire fungus having a dust-like appearance. 

 Mildew forms a good example of this family. 



4. Hyphomycetes, from the Greek u<^a, meaning a 

 thread. Thread-like fungi, the filaments being more 

 conspicuous than the spore masses, of which group 

 blue-mould affords an illustration. 



The Hymenomycetes (i) is again subdivided into 



six orders, the discrimination being based on the 

 diverse character of the spore surface. The first of 

 these orders is the Agaricini, or gill- bearing fungi, 

 to which our present chapter will be confined. 



