

148493 



CLASS FUNGI. 



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Sub-class Basidiomycetes. 



Plants of large or medium size ; fleshy, membranaceous, leathery, woody 

 or gelatinous ; growing on the ground, on wood or decaying organic matter ; 

 usually saprophytic, more rarely parasitic. Fruiting surface, or hymenium, 

 formed of numerous crowded perpendicular basidia, the apex of the latter bearing 

 two to six (usually four) basidiospores or the basidiospores borne laterally. 

 In many cases cystidia intermingled with the basidia. Hymenium either free at 

 the beginning, or enclosed either permanently or temporarily in a more or 

 less perfect peridium or veil. Basidiospores continuous or rarely septate, 

 globose, obovoid, ellipsoidal to oblong, smooth or roughened, hyaline or 

 colored, borne singly at the apex of sterigmata. 



Order GASTEROMYCETES. Plants membranaceous, leathery or fleshy, 

 furnished with a peridium and gleba, the latter being sometimes supported on a 

 receptacle. Hymenium on the surface of the gleba which is enclosed within the 

 peridium up to the maturity of the spores or longer; spores continuous, sphasroid 

 or ellipsoid, hyaline or colored. Puff balls, etc. 



Order HYMENOMYCETES. Hymenium at the beginning, borne on the free 

 outer surface of the compound sporophore or if at first enclosed by a pseudo- 

 peridium or veil it sooti becomes exposed before the maturity of the spores. 

 Mushrooms, etc. 



Hymenomycetes. 



Analytical key of the families. , 

 A) Plants not gelatinous ; basidia continuous. 

 B) Hymenium uneven, i. e., in the form of radiating plates, or folds ; or 4 

 honey-combed surface, or recticulate, warty, spiny, etc. 



1. Agaricaceae : Hymenium usually on the under side, in the form of radiating 



plates, or strong folds. The genus Phlebia in the Hydnaceae has the 

 hymenium on smooth, somewhat radiating veins which are interrupted 

 and irregular. One exotic genus has the hymenium on numerous irregu- 

 lar obtuse lobes (Rhacophyllus). 



2. Polyporaceae : Hymenium usually below (or on the outer surface when the 



plant is spread over the substratum), honey-combed, porous, tubulose, 

 C or reticulate ; in one genus with short, concentric plates. 

 3.0 HydnJiceae : Hymenium usually below (or on the outer surface when the 

 < < plan^ is spread over the substratum), warted, tuberculate, or with stout 

 spinous processes ; or with interrupted vein like folds in resupinate forms. 

 BB) Hymenium smooth (not as in B, though it may be convolute and irreg- 

 ular, or ribbed or veined. 



