MICROSCOPIC CHARAC1 1 RS 17 



sistently 2-spored. H. acutoconicus, \-.2 (-and L-spored; H.puniceiu 

 mostly 4-spored. Maire (1902) based the genus Godfrinia on the 

 2-spored variant of //. conicus, but the genus has doI been generall) 



accepted In Other authors. 



We have oof engaged in a critical stud) oi the microchemicaJ tests 

 or staining reactions on the basidia, but there does not seem to be much 

 promise in the way of valuable taxonomic data From such a corns. 



KOII produced no significant color reactions such as are obtained in 

 some Cortinarii. In view of the KOII reaction on the squamules al the 

 apex of the stipe in such species as //. pudorinus, it was hoped that 

 sonic significant reactions oi the basidia might be found. Melzer's 

 reagent has given the most valuable results. The yellowish to dark- 

 brown granules observed for some species sec //. microsporia are 

 undoubtedly constant and distinctive, but their distribution and com- 

 position need further study. 



As compared with other families of white-spored Agoricales, the 

 basidia of Hygrophorus may be said to be relatively important in the 

 classification of species though we have not tried to use their charac- 

 ters in our ke\ s. 



Cystidia (Figs. 1 and 2 ) 



A relatively small number of the Hygrophori we have studied have 

 pleurocystidia and eheiloevstidia. Examples are: //. translucens in se< 

 tion Amylohygrocybe (Fig. 2, i,j); H. amygdalinus in section Hygro- 

 phorus (Fig. 2, k,l); H. turundus (Fig. 1, e) and //. calyptraeformis 

 in section Hygrocybe (Fig. 1, a,b). None was found in section Ca- 

 marophyllopsis. As is usual for agarics, the pleurocystidia vary in size 

 and shape with the species. The) are voluminous in //. calyptraeformis 

 (Fig. 1, a,b), very conspicuous in //. subaustraUs ( Fig. 2. e) and H. 

 subovinus (Fig. 2, b,c), and more or less imbedded in the hymenium 

 in H. amygdalinus (Fig. 2, k,l), //. cuspidatus (Fig. 1. c,d), //. turun- 

 dus (Fig. 1, e), and H. appahichianciisis (Fig. 1, h,i). In a few species 

 eheiloevstidia are present but pleurocystidia arc absent — a situation 

 which is quite routine throughout the agarics. 



The pleurocystidia may be fusoid, ventricose, spathulate. c\ lindric. 

 or clavate and are thin-walled, smooth, and hyaline; or if resembling 

 basidioles, may have a somewhat colored content as revived in KOII. 

 As to category, those we have studied would be classed as leptocvs- 

 tidia, but pseudocystidia have been reported for //. ovinus by (Cuhner 

 (1936) and in H. conico-palustris by Mailer (1958). Tramal cystidia 

 are described for both H. firmus \ar. stratiotes and //. hypohaemachu 

 (Corner, 1934 and 1936). In some species the eheiloevstidia are merely 



