n6 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



The Autobasidiomycetes have non-septate basidia, bearing 

 spores only at the apex. They include (1) Dacryomycetes, (2) 

 Gastromycetes, and (3) Hymenomyeetes, of which the last is 

 by far the largest. In the' first of these the basidia split 

 downwards into two forks, but are not septate. In the second 

 the Gastromycetes have the basidia borne inside various kinds 

 of closed fruit-bodies (peridia), whilst Phalloideae are a sub- 

 section, with the basidia in their early stages borne in a closed 

 fruit-body, but afterwards pushed into the air and exposed. In 

 the third, or Hymenomyeetes, the basidia are short and simple, 

 bearing normally four spores on delicate sterigmata, but always 

 finally gymnocarpous or semi-angiocarpous. The simplest' 

 Hymenomyeetes are without a fruit-body. The more complex 

 forms seem to have originated from these. They are followed 

 by the gymnocarpous Thelephoreae and Clavariae. Then come 

 the hemi-angiocarpous forms, with the hymenium on the under 

 surface of the pileus, on the spines of the Hydnei, the walls of 

 the pores in the Polyporei, and on the gill-plates of Agaricineae. 

 Accessory fruit-forms are rare in the Polyporei, but oidia or 

 chains of gonidia occur in some species, while Heterobasidium 

 bears ordinary gonidia, and Oligoporus and Pistulina bear 

 chlamydospores. In the Agaricineae no ordinary gonidia 

 have been found, but oidia occur in certain genera, and 

 especially in Nyctalis, where chlamydospores are also 

 abundant. 



This is but a brief summary of the views enunciated: by 

 Brefeld and his disciple Von Tavel, which nitiy be further 

 illustrated by the following table : — 



I. PHYCOMYCETES 

 With a One-celled Thallus and Sexual Organs. 



' 1. Monoblepharideae. 



(Peronosporeae. 

 Ancylisteae. 

 Saprolegniaeeae. 

 ? Chytridiaeeae. 

 V 3. Entomophthoreae. 



