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found. The five other plants added by that author to Geoglossum,
belong to other genera.
The hymenium of this genus is unlike that of any otber,
and I confess I do not perfectly understand it. F r i e s quotes
B u l l i a r d , who says, Sporidia G. glabri nigra ; but adds
immediately afterwards, in G. glabro aliisque mihi alba !
P e r s o o n , in his Mycologia, observes, thecæ majores, disjunc-
tæ. It is evident, a more minute dissection is requisite ; and
I have endeavoured to ascertain the precise nature of the bodies
which the thecæ or hyaline cells contain, which, it seems
to me P e r s o o n has mistaken for tbe thecæ themselves. In
the present species, and in G. hirsutum, I have submitted
them to every power of my microscope, and can only perceive
the appearance which I bave given in the plate : three linear,
dark-brown bodies in both cases, overlap each other, so as to be
conveniently disposed in the transparent cells from which they
escape, sometimes all at once, sometimes singly. I bave not
been able to detect the least appearance of these dark bodies
containing sporules ; and if they do not, they must be regarded
as the sporules themselves.
Fig. 1. Plants, nat. size, in different states, some approaching inform to, G. glabrum,
■ the uppermost splitting from decay. Fig. 2. A section o f an entire
plant. Fig, 3. Cells or thecm, with their dark linear sporules?
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