CRYPTOGAMS 



363 



Fig. 286. — Basidia of Endopliyllum Euplwrbiae silvoMcae 

 (A), Tremella lutescens (B), and Tomentdla gmnulata 

 (C), belonging respectively to the orders Uredineae, 

 Tremelliiwae, and Hymenomycetes. (A after Tulasne ; 

 B, C after Breeeld, from v. Tavel ; A, B X450 ; C x 

 350.) 



tion of basidia or conidiophores of definite shape and size, and bear- 

 ing a fixed number of spores, usually four (in exceptional cases two, 

 six, or eight). The basidia appear in two chief forms: (1) as PKOTO- 

 basidia, the conidiophores 

 of which are multicellular, 

 having either the upper por- 

 tion divided by transverse 

 septa (Fig. 286, A) into four 

 cells, each of which gives 

 rise to a spore from a later- 

 ally inserted sterigma, or the 

 basidia are divided longi- 

 tudinally into four cells (Fig. 

 286, B) by walls intersecting 

 at right angles ; each cell 

 terminates in a long tubular 

 sterigma ; (2) as AUTO- 

 BASIDIA, with unseptated 

 conidiophores (Fig. 286, C), 

 which give rise at their 

 apices to four slender sterig- 

 mata, each bearing a spore. 

 The transversely divided 

 protobasidia have their prototype in the conidiophores of the Ustila- 

 ginaceae ; the autobasidia in those of the Tilletiaceae. 



In addition to conidiophores differentiated as basidia, the Basidio- 

 mycetes produce other forms of conidia as accessory fructifications, also 

 chlamydospores. They thus possess a polymorphism in the forma- 

 tion of asexual spores in place of a sexual reproduction, which is 

 absent. 



According to the form of their basidia, the Basidiomycetes are 

 classified into two groups, with the following European orders. 



A. Protdbasidiomycetes 



Order 1. Uredineae, basidia transversely septate; gymnocarpous. 

 „ 2. Auricularieae, „ ,, ,, „ 



3. Pilacreae, „ „ „ angiocarpous. 



4. Tremellineae, basidia longitudinally septate ; gymno- 



carpous. 



B. Autobasidiomycetes 



5. Hymenomycetes, basidia unseptate ; gymnocarpous or 



hemiangiocarpous. 



6. Gasteromycetes, basidia unseptate ; angiocarpous. 



Of these orders, the Uredineae, Hymenomycetes, and Gasteromycetes 



