AGARICS 



79 



Spores 



A 



Cystidium 



-Sporophore 



AGARICINI 



In this order the hymenium, or spore -bearing sur- 

 face, is inferior, i.e., on the under side of the pileus, 

 and is spread over lamellse or gills, which radiate 

 from the stem of the fungus, and each of which may 

 be separated into two filmy flat divisions. 



On the opposite page is shown an Agaric in ver- 

 tical section, disclosing a full side view of the gills. 

 A highly magni- 

 fied view of this 

 gill -surface is in- 

 dicated herewith, 

 duly indexed, the 

 sporophore being 

 shown in the act of 

 shedding its spores 

 from their points 

 of attachment to 

 the four stigmata 

 at the summit. These fruitful four-pointed sporo- 

 phores or basidia are intermingled with the cystidia 

 and sterile cells, the whole mass forming the surface 

 of the hymenium. The dissemination of the Agaric 

 is further considered in a later chapter on " Spore- 

 prints." 



The most perfect botanical type of the Agarics 

 is the Amanita, already sufficiently dwelt upon. 



We will now proceed to the consideration of other 

 examples in which the symbol of the fatal cup is 

 happily absent, and whose identities as esculent spe- 

 cies are clearly denoted by individual characteristics. 



SPORE-SURFACE MAGNIFIED 



