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C U C U R B ITA R IA p i n a s t r i .
Fir-hranch Cucurhitaria.
C l a s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, Linn— N a t . O r d . H Y P O X Y L A , De Cand.
Grev— FUNGI, Juss. &c.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Sphoeruloe corneæ, coespitosæ, liberoe, receptáculo insidentes, raro primo inclusæ ;
intùs, massa gelatinosa sporulifera repletæ.
Spherules corneous, tufted, free, fixed on a receptacle, sometimes at first included
: interior filled with a gelatinous sporuliferous mass.
S P E C IF IC C H A R A C T E R .
C U C U H B I T A R I A pinastri ; cæspitosa, sphærulis globosis, punctatis, rubris, demum
nigrescentibus, primó receptáculo immersis; sporulis in tubis utrimque attenuatis.
C. clustered, the spherules globose, dotted, red, at length becoming blackish,
immersed at first in the receptacle ; sporules contained in tubes which
are attenuated at each extremity.
CucuRBiTARiA pinastri, Grev. Fl. Fdin. ined.
H ab. On the smaller branches of F ir trees, especially Pinus Abies. Rosslyn
Woods. Autumn.
Receptacle of no regular form, blackish, scarcely corneous, elevating the bark,
which is at length ruptured by the evolution of the spherules, which are
at first included in the receptacle, b u t having pierced its surface, assume
a globular form, and appear as if merely seated on that body ; others
coming forward to maturity, push aside those which preceded them, and
thus irregular clusters are produced. The surface is dotted, and the colour
varies from dull red to nearly black, according to age. The mouth
is very small, and gently mamillose. Sporules oblong, contained in a gelatinous
mass of filiform tubes attenuated at each extremity ; about 3 in
each.
CUCURBITARIA is a genus recently proposed by Mr G r a y ,
of wbicb Sphceria cucurbitulaoi T o d e seems to bave afforded
tbe type. It contains most of tbe species constituting tbe seventh
section of Sphceria in P e r s o o n ’s System, and which
have a peculiarity and uniformity of character well deserving
of even generic distinction.
VOL. I.