colour in cap: when wet when dry colour in stem: when wet when dry colour changes if any when exposed to air presence or absence of milk-like or coloured fluid (note: colour when exuded on fruit-body immediately and after some time and when dabbed on to a clean cloth or paper handkerchief and exposed to the air). SMELL before and after cutting --relate to a common every day odour MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS BASIDIOSPORES colour in mass colour under microscope. shape size type of ornamentation, if any size and shape of germ-pore, if present iodine reaction of spore-mass:--blue-black to dark violet (amyloid); red-purple (dextrinoid); yellow-brown or brown (non-amyloid) BASIDIA number of sterigmata CAP-FLESH type of constituent cells GILL-TISSUE type and arrangement of cells between adjacent hymenial faces CAP-SURFACE type of cells composing the outermost layer--whether filaments or rounded cells STERILE CELLS--CYSTIDIA presence or absence of sterile cells:-- on gill-edge on gill-margin on cap on stem shape, estimation of size, thick or thin-walled, hyaline or not types of ornamentation, etc. Key to the major classes of Larger Fungi Spores borne externally on stalks on a clavate to cylindrical cell Basidiomycotina Spores produced within a clavate, cylindrical or subglobose cell Ascomycotina Key to major groups based on character of basidium and fruit-body shape 1. Basidia either produced in a hymenium or in a mass, and until maturity contained within a closed fruit-body Gasteromycetes Basidia produced in a layer of cells (hymenium) and exposed to the air before the maturity of the spores (Hymenomycetes) 2 2. Basidia simple, a single cell (fig. 5) (Homobasidiae) 3 Basidia usually septate, or if simple then fruit-body gelatinous and often collapsing to form a skin when dried (Heterobasidiae) 4 3. Fruit-body usually fleshy, soft and easily decaying (putrescent), hymenium spread over the surface of gills, ridges or within tubes Agaricales (p. 22) Fruit-body with hymenium smooth or spread-out on teeth, ridges or plates or if within tubes then fruit-body tough and leathery Aphyllophorales (p. 135) 4. Basidia divided 5 Basidia simple and apex drawn out into two long necks Plate 61 (p. 185) Dacrymycetales (p. 180)