FUNGI. 649 



spores single, often partitioned, and on more or less distinct sporophores ; 

 as seen in the Rust and Bunt of Corn. 



4. HypLomycetes {i(pdui, I weave) : ThaUus floocose, spores naked, often septate ; 



as in Gymnosporous Moulds, Mildews. 



5. Ascomyoetes (do-Kis, a bag) ; (Disoomycetes, SlffKos, a disk) ; Sporidia (spores) 



contained often in sets of eight in asoi or tubes ; as in Morels and Tniffles. 



■6. Physomycetes (0i5(7O, a bladder) : Thallus floocose, spores surrounded by a 

 vesicular veil or sporangium ; as in common bread-mould. 



Under these sections Berkeley enumerates about 600 genera, includ- 

 ing about 5000 species. Examples — Agaricus, Polyporus, Hydnum, 

 Olavaria ; Phallus, Geaster, Bovista, Craterium, Nidularia ; Bac- 

 tridium, Torula, Uredo, ^cidium; Ceratium, Tubercularia, Botrytis, 

 PenicUlium ; Helvella, Peziza, Tuber, Erysiphe, Onygena ; Phy- 

 ■comyces, Mucor. 



The plants of this order deserve attention, whether we regard 

 their esculent or their poisonous qualities, or the destruction which 

 they cause by their parasitic growth. In this country the chief 

 species eaten are Agaricus campestris, the common Mushroom, Agari- 

 ■ciis Georgii, Morchella esculenta, and other species of Morel, Tuher 

 cibarmm, and cestivum, Truffle. In foreign countries, as in France, 

 Italy, Germany, and Russia, some Fungi are used as food, which 

 have acted as poisons in this country. The process of cooking, as 

 weU as the climate, may have some effect in modifying their qualities. 

 Agaricus procerus is eaten abroad ; but a case of poisoning from it has 

 been known to occur in Edinburgh. In Eome it is stated that the • 

 yearly average of taxed mushrooms, from 1837 to 1847, was between' 

 60,000 and 80,000 pounds weight. The finest mushroom is said to 

 be the Agaricus Prunulus. Amanita muscaria is a poisonous species, 

 which is used as a means of intoxication in Kamtschatka. It is said 

 to give this property to the urine of those who eat it. It is not easy 

 to distinguish between edible and poisonous Fungi. It has been said 

 that the latter are often highly coloured, have scales or spots on their 

 surface, tough watery flesh, and grow in clusters on wet ground, and 

 often in the shade; while the former are seldom highly coloured, 

 generally white or brownish, rarely show scales or spots, have brittle 

 flesh, and grow solitary in dry pastures, not in the shade. The true 

 field 'mushroom grows in pastures, has dark purple brown spores, has 

 a perfect encircling clothy colour, aud gills which do not touch the 

 stem, and a top with an overlapping edge. Berkeley says that, as 

 regards ordinary mushrooms, a good indication is the bright rosy tint 

 of the gills, and the absence of any yellow stain when bruised. In 

 some cases Fungi form a staple article of food. Darwin states that 

 the inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego live upon a globular fungus of a 

 bright yellow colour (Cyttaria Darwinii), found on the bark of the 

 beech. Many species of Boletus are used as food in Western Aus- 



