Part 2 (1/2)

We have now arrived at a point where the amateur may become wearied at the reading of long names and the enumeration of cla.s.ses and genera.

Stevenson has said in his preface to his work on British Fungi that ”there is no royal road to the knowledge of fungi,” and if we become enough interested to pursue the subject we will probably discover it at this point. We will try and make this part as simple as possible, and only mention those genera which are most common.

Mushrooms may be divided into three great cla.s.ses:

I. Gasteromycetes, or ”Stomach fungi,” where the spores are produced within the plant.

II. Ascomycetes, or ”Spore sac fungi,” where the spores are produced in delicate sacs called asci.

III. Hymenomycetes, or ”Membrane fungi,” where the spores are produced on the lower surface of the cap.

CLa.s.s III. HYMENOMYCETES, OR MEMBRANE FUNGI.

This cla.s.s is divided into six orders:

1. Gill-bearing mushrooms, Agarics, or Agaricini.

2. Fungi with pores or tubes, Polyporei.

3. Fungi with awl-shaped teeth or spines, Hydnei.

4. Fungi with an even spore-bearing or slightly wrinkled surface, Theleph.o.r.ei.

5. Plants, club-shaped and simple, or bush-like and branched, Clavariei.

6. Gelatinous plants, irregularly expanded, Tremellinei.

The first order, the Agarics, contains most of the well-known mushrooms, as well as most of the edible ones. They have been divided into different cla.s.ses according to the color of the spores. In a great many cases the color is the same as that of the gills; but this is not always the case, especially in the young plants. The Agarics are divided into four sections:

1. White spores, Leucosporae.

2. Rosy, salmon or pinkish spores, Rhodosporae.

3. Brown or ochraceous spores, Ochrosporae.

4. Dark purplish or black spores, Melanosporae.

There are an infinite number of mushrooms we shall not mention. The study of fungi has only begun in this country, and there is an immense vista for future students. The amateur or beginner may be well satisfied if after one summer spent in studying mushrooms he can remember the distinguis.h.i.+ng types of the various genera, and can say with certainty, ”This is a Russula, or this a Cortinarius, or this a Tricholoma.” He will then feel he has taken one important step in this ”royal road.”

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERA OF HYMENOMYCETES.

ORDER 1. AGARICS.

The names of the genera are all derived from Greek and Latin words.

Stevenson, in his book on British Fungi, has given the original words and also their meanings. We take the liberty of copying the English term only, and will place it beside the name of each genus.

SECTION 1. WHITE SPORES, OR LEUCOSPORae.

The first genus we will mention is: