with other hyphæ belonging to other spores of the same species.
In rare instances, as in the Tremellinaceoe, the spores germinate and
Fig. 5.—Coprinus a tram e n ta rm s F r.
A , c y s t id i u m , o r i f i c e o p e n a t d ;
B , b a s id i u m ; C j s p o r e s . X 200.
Fig. 6.—Hymenochcste
jtigrescens Cooke.
P a rt of hymenium with
long cj’-stidium, c. X 300.
produce a rudimentary mycelium {promycdium) bearing spores,
from which only is a true mycelium produced. The mycelium
Fig. 7.—P sa th y r e lla ^ ro n a Gill.
Spores germinating. X 350.
or finely matted growth produced by ger-
_ minating spores is the “ spawn ” of gardeners;
it is usually white in colour, but is
m m sometimes tinted; in one or two instances
■ V it is blood-red. If the mycelium or spawn
placed upon a suitable matrix the
fungus w'ill, under favourable circumstances,
be ^ reproduced. The spores of some
Basidiomycetes very speedily die after
falling from the hymenium. No sexual organs are known in the
Basidiomycetes.
The season of growth is usually the autumn, but a considerable
number appear in the spring and summer, and some continue to grow
till late in the autumn or even early winter. Many species of
Marasmitis will, after being quite parched in dry weather, revive in
rain, and several of the late-growing species of Clitocybe and Collybia
revive after being frozen. There are two crops of some Basidiomycetes
every year, one vernal and the other autumnal; this is the
case with Coprinus atrmnentarius, of which the first crop appears after
the rains of April and May, the second in September or October.
If vernal examples are gathered and buried with decayed wood or
beside decaying posts a crop of perfect fungi will appear in
September or October. There are sometimes three crops of
Coprinus micaceus in one year. If living plants of Coprinus
radiatus are placed upon manure heaps the spores will germinate
at once and reproduce the plant in a day or two.
Some of the perennial Polyporaceoe continue to increase in size for
many years. The years of growth can be counted in the annual flesh-
strata, which are easily seen when sections are made. Mycelium will
continue to live in wood or in the ground for an apparently unlimited
time. I have known a “ fairy-ring” of Clitocybegeotropa on Dunstable
Downs for forty or more years, which under favourable conditions of
light can be seen at a distance of more than a mile. The diameter
has not altered much during the time I have known it, for sometimes
it grows inwardly for several years and then again outwardly.
Most species are terrestrial and grow on or just below the ground ;
a large number grow on dead leaves and twigs ; others on dead
wood, bark, branches and trunks. It is unusual to see fungi on
healthy trees; the majority of the larger fungi so commonly seen
growing on tree-trunks in parks, woods and forests are “ wound
parasites,” which germinate upon a damp injured place and grow
parasitically upon the living host. Rootlets are often attacked by
mycelium which at length develops as a perfect fungus at the
tree’s base, as in Pomes annostis, or in other cases travels further up
the trunk as in F. igniarius, and other species. Polyporus
Schiveinitzii is well known to be highly destructive to conifers;
Pinus Strobus, P. sylvestris and Larix europoea especially suffer.
Many other species of Polyporus are more or less destructive.
Amongst the Agaricacece, Armillaria mellea is one of the most
destructive ; it often grows upon living roots, not uncommonly under
the shade of large trees, the growth of the fungus being limited to
the extent of the root-growth of the trees. One form of its mycelium,
named Rhizomorpha, lives perennially beneath the bark of trees.
It destroys tree-roots, chiefly those of conifers, but sometimes attacks
plum and other trees; it also appears on squared timber, when
used for bridges, in mines, etc.
Certain species grow parasitically upon other Basidiomycetes.
Volvaria Loveia7ia grows upon the pileus of Clitocybe nebularis ;
two species of Nyctalis grow upon the pileus or stem of species
of Russula and Lactarius ; and Boletus parasitiais grows from the
base or side of Scleroderma vulgare. Some species are almost
peculiar to human habitations : Coprinus radians grows upon
plastered walls, C. aphthosus commonly appears in kitchens and
cellars, Merttlius lacrymans (Dry Rot), Poria hybrida and Polyporus
destructor are almost entirely confined to the interior of houses
and ships, and Mertdius corimn often grows in dwelling-houses.
Coprinus domesticus is usually seen in or close to human dwellings ;
C. comatus and Cortinarius zirbicus commonly grow close to houses
or to places where human beings resort. Many species grow on
burnt wood and earth, as Clitocybe fumosa, Collybia atrata, C. ambusta^
Flammula decipiens^ F. sapinea, F. carbo?iaria, Lepiota Friesii, Can-
tharellus radicosus, Polystictus cinnamomeus, and many others.