(ii) Glossary of technical terms
Specialised colours are placed in capitals
Adnate (of the gills or tubes), broadly attached to the stem at least for one quarter of their length. See [p. 267].
Adnexed (of the gills or tubes), narrowly attached to the stem by less than one quarter of their length. See [p. 267].
Amygdaliform (of the spore), almond-shaped.
Amyloid (of the spore-walls, spore-ornamentation or hyphal walls), greyish or bluish or blackish violet in solutions containing iodine.
Apiculus (of the spore), the short peg-like structure at the basal end of the spore by which it is attached to the basidium. See [Fig. 5], [p. 15].
Arcuate-decurrent (of the gills or tubes), curved and extending down the stem. See [p. 267].
Ascus, a clavate to cylindrical or subglobose cell in which the (asco-) spores are borne, usually in eights.
Basidium, a clavate or subcylindrical cell on which the (basidio-) spores are borne, externally on stalks. See [Fig. 5], [p. 15].
Cap (of the fruit-body), that structure which bears the spore-bearing layers beneath it (= pileus).
Caespitose (of the fruit-body), aggregated into tufts.
CINNAMON-BROWN, the colour of cinnamon powder obtainable from the grocer.
Clavate (of the stem, or cystidia), club-shaped.
Convex (of the cap), curving outwards. See [Plate 9], [p. 55].
Cortex (of the cap or stem), outer layers of the tissue.
Cortina, a cobweb-like veil at first connecting the margin of the cap and stem, but at maturity often only present as remnants on the stem and/or cap-margin. See [p. 267].
Cystidium, a differentiated terminal cell usually on the surface and edges of the cap, gill and stem: facial cystidia occurring on the gill-face: marginal cystidia occurring on the gill-margin. See [Fig. 4], [p. 15].
DATE-BROWN, the colour of packed dates.
Decurrent (of the gills and tubes), with a part attached to and descending down the stem. See [p. 267].
Deliquescent (of the gills, cap or entire fruit-body), changing into a liquid at maturity.
Depauperate poorly developed.
Depressed (of the cap), having the central portion sunken, and (of the tubes) sunken about the apex of the stem. See [Plate 1], [p. 29].
Dentate see [toothed].
Distant (of the gills), greater than their own thickness apart.
Divergent (of the gill-trama in transverse longitudinal section), with the hyphae curving downwards and outwards on both sides of a central zone as if combed. See [Fig. 9A], [p. 17].
Ellipsoid (of the spores), elliptic in outline in all planes.
Emarginate (of the gills), notched near the stem. See [Sinuate], [p. 263].
Excentric (of the cap), laterally placed on the stem.
Expallent (of the cap), becoming paler when drying.
Expanded (of the cap), opened out when mature. See [Plate 10], [p. 61].
Fibrillose (of the cap and stem-surfaces), almost smooth but for distinct parallel longitudinal filaments (fibrils).
Fleshy (of the fruit-body), of a rather soft consistency: readily decaying.
Floccose, with loose, cottony surface; diminutive—flocculose.
Free (of the gills and tubes), not attached to the stem. See [p. 267].
Frondose trees, broad-leaved trees.
Fruit-body, the whole agaric (toadstool or mushroom, polypore, etc.), as usually understood.
Germ-pore, a differentiated apical, usually thin-walled portion of the spore. See [Fig. 5], [p. 15].
Gill, the structure on which the reproductive tissue is borne in agarics, resembling plates.
Globose (of the spore), round in outline in all planes.
Glutinous (of the cap or stem), provided with a sticky jelly-like coating.
Heteromerous (of the cap and stem-flesh), with discrete nests of rounded cells in a background of filamentous cells: characterises members of the Russulaceae. See [Fig. 10B], [p. 17].
Homoiomerous (of the cap and stem-flesh), not sharply differentiated into two types of cells, although some may be swollen: characterises agarics other than members of the Russulaceae. See [Fig. 10A], [p. 17].
Hygrophanous (of the cap), translucent when wet, opaque and often paler on drying.
Hymenium, the superficial layer of cells in which basidia occur. See [Fig. 9A-D], [p. 17].
Hyaline, appearing as if clear glass.
Hypogeous, growing under ground.
Hypha, a fungus filament composed of a chain of several cells; plural—hyphae; adjective—hyphal.
Inverse, (of the gill-trama in transverse longitudinal section), with the hyphae curving upwards and outwards on both sides of a central zone. See [Fig. 9B], [p. 17].
Irregular (of the gill-trama in transverse longitudinal section), lacking any clear pattern as to hyphal arrangement. See [Fig. 9D], [p. 17].
Mealy, covered in powdery granules, resembling meal.
Mycelium, a mass of fungus-filaments (hyphae).
Mycorrhiza, a symbiotic association of a fungus and the roots of a higher plant.
Non-amyloid (of the spore-wall, spore-ornamentation and hyphal walls), remaining uncoloured or becoming yellowish in solutions containing iodine.
OCHRACEOUS, bright clay-colour: colour of ochre (yellow-brown).
OLIVACEOUS BROWN, a dull clay-brown with an additional but distinct hint of dirty green.
Plano-convex (of the cap), regularly rounded although almost flat. See [Plate 13], [p. 67]—adult fruit-body.
Pruinose (of the cap and stem-surfaces), finely powdered.
Pubescent (of the cap and stem-surfaces), with short, soft hairs.
Putrescent (of the fruit-body), soft and very easily decaying.
Pyriform (of the spore), pear-shaped.
Regular (of the gill-trama in transverse longitudinal section), with hyphae showing no distinct curvature and practically parallel to the gill-surfaces. See [Fig. 9C], [p. 17].
Remote (of the gills or tubes), separate from the stem by a zone of cap-flesh. See [p. 267].
Resupinate (of the fruit-body), spore-bearing tissue facing outward and attached to support by what would have been the cap had the fungus been a normal agaric.
Ring, a girdling veil on the stem. See [p. 267].
Rugulose (of a surface), covered in small wrinkles.
RUST-BROWN, the colour of rusty iron.
Saprophyte (of an organism), using dead material for active growth.
Scurfy (of the cap and stem surfaces), with small irregular loosely attached scales.
Sessile (of the fruit-bodies), lacking a stem.
Septate (of the structural units of the fruit-body), with cross-walls; septum—cross-wall.
Sinuate (of the gills), having a concave indentation of that part of the edge nearest the stem. See [Plate 32], [p. 111].
SNUFF-BROWN, a dull dark clay-brown said to resemble the colour of snuff.
Spore-print (or deposit), the mass of spores obtained by allowing the fruit-body to discharge its spores at maturity.
Stem (of the fruit-body), that structure which supports the cap (= stipe).
Sterile, a tissue or structure not involved in the reproductive process, or failing to take part.
Sterigma, the point-like structure at the apex of the basidium actually bearing the spores.
Striate (of a surface), having minute furrows or lines.
Subdecurrent (of the gills or the tubes), having the gill-attachment extending slightly down the stem. See [p. 267].
TAWNY, sand-coloured.
Tomentose (of the cap and stem surfaces), densely matted and woolly.
Toothed (of the gills or cap-margin), as if with teeth (= dentate).
Trama (of the gills), the tissue between the layers bearing basidia (hymenia).
Umbilicate (of the cap), having a central, small depression. See [p. 267].
Umbonate (of the cap), provided with a broad, flattened, raised centre (the umbo).
Uncinate (of the gills), emarginate, but with a long descending decurrent tooth because the cap does not expand. See [Plate 14], [p. 69].
Veil, a general term for the tissues which protect the whole or part of the developing fruit-body.
Viscid (of the cap or stem), very slippery to the touch.
Volva, a persistent cup-like structure at the base of the stem. See [p. 267].
Waxy (of the gills), lustrous because they are thick and watery.
Illustrations
Text-figures and line-drawings of the greater number of the fungi mentioned in the text have been included in the book. It is impossible to supply colour pictures of a high quality in a book such as this without raising the price of the publication astronomically. The plates in six easily obtainable popular books have been used to represent whenever possible the fungus described in the text, as accurate colour illustrations are very useful in identification. The titles of these books have been abbreviated for clarity.
Abbreviations for illustrations used throughout the text
F—Findlay, W. P. K. (1967), Wayside and Woodland Fungi, London.
Hvass—Hvass, E. & H. (1961), Mushrooms and Toadstools in Colour, London.
LH—Lange, M. & Hora, F. B. (1963), Collins Guide to Mushrooms and Toadstools, London.
NB—Nicholson, B. E. & Brightman, F. H. (1966), Oxford Book of Flowerless Plants, Oxford.
WD—Wakefield, E. & Dennis, R. W. G. (1950), Common British Fungi, London.
Z—Zeitlmayr, L. (1968), Wild Mushrooms, London.