﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  13 
  

  

  we 
  shall 
  lay 
  bare 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  pale 
  entangled 
  threads, 
  

   which 
  constitute 
  the 
  mycelium, 
  or 
  spawn. 
  These 
  

   thread-like 
  processes 
  consist 
  of 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  separate 
  

   individuals, 
  which 
  unitedly 
  produce 
  the 
  stem 
  already 
  

  

  alluded 
  to. 
  

  

  The 
  mycelium 
  of 
  fungi 
  is 
  not 
  always 
  composed 
  of 
  

   filaments, 
  but 
  this 
  kind 
  will, 
  for 
  the 
  present, 
  serve 
  the 
  

   purpose 
  of 
  illustration. 
  At 
  certain 
  points 
  in 
  this 
  en- 
  

   tangled 
  mass 
  of 
  threads, 
  a 
  little 
  rounded 
  protuberance 
  

   at 
  first 
  appears, 
  which, 
  as 
  it 
  enlarges, 
  ruptures, 
  and 
  the 
  

   young 
  mushroom 
  may 
  be 
  seen 
  within 
  it, 
  with 
  its 
  cap 
  or 
  

   pileus 
  supported 
  upon 
  its 
  stem. 
  The 
  membrane 
  which 
  

   has 
  up 
  to 
  this 
  point 
  inclosed 
  the 
  young 
  mushroom 
  is 
  

   termed 
  the 
  voka, 
  or 
  wrapper, 
  portions 
  or 
  traces 
  of 
  which 
  

   often 
  remain 
  permanently 
  at 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  stem. 
  

  

  The 
  young 
  pileus 
  or 
  cap, 
  for 
  some 
  time 
  after 
  it 
  has 
  

   emerged 
  from 
  the 
  wrapper, 
  retains 
  its 
  spherical 
  or 
  hemi- 
  

   spherical 
  form. 
  As 
  it 
  expands, 
  the 
  under 
  surface, 
  which 
  

   is 
  seen 
  to 
  consist 
  of 
  a 
  membrane, 
  or 
  in 
  some 
  cases 
  only 
  

   of 
  a 
  mass 
  of 
  entangled 
  threads, 
  ruptures, 
  leaving 
  a 
  

   portion 
  attached 
  to 
  the 
  stem, 
  or 
  stipe, 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  an 
  

   irregular 
  collar, 
  rinor, 
  or 
  annulus. 
  This 
  collar 
  is 
  in 
  

   some 
  species 
  of 
  Agaric 
  permanent, 
  in 
  others 
  it 
  is 
  move- 
  

   able, 
  whilst 
  in 
  many 
  it 
  is 
  entirely 
  absent. 
  The 
  breaking 
  

   away 
  of 
  the 
  membrane 
  from 
  the 
  under 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  

   pileus, 
  as 
  already 
  described, 
  exposes 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  plates 
  or 
  

   gill-like 
  processes, 
  called 
  also 
  lamella?, 
  which 
  radiate 
  

   from 
  the 
  stem. 
  These 
  gills 
  are 
  covered 
  with 
  the 
  fruc- 
  

   tifying 
  surface, 
  termed 
  the 
  hymenium, 
  which 
  bears 
  the 
  

   spores, 
  or 
  reproductive 
  bodies. 
  

  

  