THE CCENOCYTIC INDIVIDUAL 



65 



mycelium of the " spawn " there arises the so-called 

 " conidiophore," or the part commonly called the mushroom. 

 This is a stiff cylindrical column of many hyphse closely 

 woven together, and these spread out to form the umbrella- 

 like top, and terminate on the radiating gills on its under 

 surface. 



It is true that Agaricus is commonly held by botanists 



laihilUe 



3. 



■urn- 



SuBH^m"" 



Fig. 13. — Agaricus. A, conidiophore with velum torn, showing 

 lamella; or gills. B, section through one of lamellaa ; enlarged, 

 o, marginal cells of lamella ; further enlarged. (After Lowson.) 



to be so debased that it has lost all powers of sexual reproduc- 

 tion, and can only reproduce itself vegetatively by the spores 

 which fall from the gills of the conidiophore ; but it is our 

 belief that such perpetual vegetative " reproduction " is 

 impossible. For all cycles must end, and before the spores 

 are formed there must occur a sexual act of some kind. No 

 doubt this will be yet discovered, but it seems quite possible 



5 



