742 



FUNGI 



as 'the mushroom,' which is a complicated fructification or 

 sporophore of the fungus. In the earhest stages the sporophores 

 are small oval tubercles (r. Fig. 251) of closely-woven hyphae, in 

 which very little differentiation of parts is observable. 



The mature sporophore, however, consists of a stalk or 







Fig. 252, — At Sporophore of the common mushroom : at ^ a slice has been cut from the 

 pileus (slightly reduced). " 



B^ Portion of the pileus and lamellae cut across in A (enlarged 30 diameters). 



C, Transverse section of portion of the lamella from 2 (enlarged 450 diameters) : / trama ; 

 « sub-hymenial layer ; h hymenium ; a a basidium with two basidiospores j ; or a paraphysis. 



D, View of undersurface of ihe mushroom pileus, showing arraniiemcnt of the lamellae. 

 E., A single basidium : st sterigma bearing basidiospwDre at its apex. 



stipe (a) thickened at the base, and an umbrella-like expan- 

 sion, which is designated the cap or piletis (d\ 



Exposed on the lower surface of the pileus are a large number 

 of thin, dark brownish-purple plates, known as gills or lameU(z(c)^ 



