COMMENTS ON AGARICUS
Saprophytic fungi
Agaricus commonly known as gilled mushroom, is a saprophytic fungus that grows on damp and decaying organic matter. During the rainy season they are found growing on greasy fields.
Somatic structure
Mycelia:
The somatic structure of Agaricus is represented by a well developed braveled septate mycelium which ramifies within the substratum beneath the soil surface.
Asexual reproductive structures
i) Basidiocarp:
This is the fruiting body, the only visible aerial portions of fungus consisting of stipe, pileus and gills.
ii) stipe:
It is the fleshy pinkish cylindrical stalk slightly broader at the base.
iii) Pileus:
It is the cap- like expanded structure over the stipe.
iv) Gill:
It is the spore bearing organ. The pinkish coloured gill changes into brownish black color after the formation of brown basidiospores.
V.S through gill
i) Trama:
It is the central mass of loosely packed interwoven hyphae forming a mass of pseudo-parenchyma.
ii) Sub- hymenium layer:
Next to trama on either side,lie the sub-hymenium layers. They are composed of small round cells.
iii) Hymenium layer:
It is the fertile layer. A lange number of small and large clasate palisade-like cells compactly emerge from the sub-hymenium layer. The large cells become basidia and smaller ones paraphysis.
iv) Basidium:
It bears four sterigmata at its tip each of which produces one basidiospores. The basidiospores are small round haploid uninucleate reproductive bodies.
