22 
Massce—A Monograph of 
in the presence of basidia, the hymenium in the Gastro- 
mycetes agreed with that of the Hymenomycetes. In the 
same place attention is called to the resemblance between the 
cavities of the gleba lined with basidia, and the pores in 
Boletus. In another place 1 Berkeley clearly expresses his 
opinion that the genera Secotium and Polyplocium may be 
considered as connecting links between the Hymenomycetes 
and Gastromycetes. Following Berkeley, De Bary considers 
the Gastromycetes to be derived from the Hymenomycetes, 
and from the following paragraph we learn that the presence 
of basidia in the two groups is considered as affording the proof 
of affinity: ‘ We must assume a direct affinity or phylogenetic 
connection throughout the whole assemblage of the Basidio- 
mycetes. The course of development is the same in its main 
features wherever it has been ascertained. The organs which 
have been designated by the same name in the foregoing 
account, especially the basidia and basidiospores, must from 
the data before us be regarded as strictly homologous V The 
same author further considers the Polyporeae as the order 
from which the Gastromycetes originated. ‘ Gautier ia , and 
we may say also some forms of Secotium , are evidently con- 
necting links between the groups of the Hymenogastreae and 
the Polyporeae. Gautieria , which has all the characters of the 
Hymenogastreae, but has its chambers open and covered with 
no peridium, may be compared to a curled Merulius ; the 
question naturally arises, whether the interior chambers have 
been formed by differentiation or in some way directly corre- 
sponding to this comparison 3 .’ The genera Gautieria and 
Secotium are presumably considered by De Bary as connecting 
links on account of the general resemblance of the gleba to 
the hymenium of some species of Boletus and Merulius , but 
the components of the hymenium are markedly different in the 
two cases. In Boletus and Merulius , as in all the Polyporeae, 
the basidia are constantly tetrasporous, whereas in Secotium 
1 On two H ymenomycetous Fungi belonging to the Lycoperdaceous group, 
see Hook. Tourn. Bot. vol. ii. p. 200 (3 Plates). 
2 De Bary, 1 . c. p. 337. 
3 1- c. p. 337. 
