Pileus umbonate
Pileus umbilicate

Margin involute
Margin revolute]


THE GILLS.

The gills or lamellæ are the radiating parts, like knife blades, that
extend from the centre to the margin underneath the cap. They contain
the spores. The group of mushrooms that have gills are called Agaracini
or Agarics. The gills vary in color; sometimes they change color when
mature. When they are close together they are called crowded, and when
far apart distant. There are often smaller gills between the others, and
sometimes they are two-forked (bifurcate), and are connected by veins.

They are narrow or wide, swell out in the middle (ventricose), are
curved like a bow (arcuate), and have a sudden wave or sinus in the edge
near the stem (sinuate).

There are various modes of attachment to the stem. Where the gills are
not attached to it they are called free; slightly so, adnexed; and when
wholly fastened they are adnate. They may run down on the stem, and are
then called decurrent.


THE SPORES.