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MERISMA FOETIDUM.
Foetid Merisma.
C la ss a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, Linn— N a t . O r d . F U N G I, Jnss. See.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Plantæ suhcrustaceæ vel mbstipitalæ, ramosæ, coriaceoe, ramis semper complanatis,
dilatatis, laciniatis. Hymenium omnem fe re superjiciem utrimque occupons,
cum stipite valde confusum.
Plants somewhat crustaceous or substipitate, branched, coriaceous : branches
always compressed, dilated, laciniate. Hymenium covering almost the
whole surface on every side, and passing insensibly into the stem.
S P E C IF IC C H A R A C T E R .
M e r i s m a f oe t i d u m ; erectum, coespitosum, fusco-purpurascens, ramis complanatis,
dilatatis, palmatis, apice albicantibus.
M. erect, tufted, purplish-brown, the branches compressed, dilated, palmate,
with the apex whitish.
M e r i s m a foetidum, Pers. Comment, p. 92.—Syn. Fung. p. 584.—Albert, et
Schm. p. 284.~Schm. et Kuntz, PI. Fxs. N. 96— Grays Nat. Arr. v. 1.
p. 654.—Grev. Fl. Fdin. ined.
M e r i s m a palmatum, Pers. Mycol. Furop. v. 1. p- 157-
M e r i s m a f l a b e l l a r e , Pers. Comment, p . 9 3 .—Syn. p . 5 8 4 . ?
C l a v a r ia palmata. Scop. Fl. Carniol. 2. p. 483.—Nees, Syst. t. 66. f. 151.
C l a v a r ia a n t h o c e p h a l a . Bull, Champ, p . 197- t . 452. f . 1 .— N ow . Fung. 1 . 156.
— With. Bot. Arr. e d . 6. v. 4. p . 4S7.— F>e Cand. Fl. Franç. e d . 3. v. 2.
p . \0 2— Fjusd. Syn. p . 21.— Relh. Fl. Cantab, e d . 3. p . 563.— Sibth. Fl. .
Oxon. p . 366.—Purt. Mid. Fl. v. 2. p . 697- et 3. p . 474.
C l a v a r ia f l a b e l l a r i s , Batsch, Flench. Fung. Cont. 1 . p."227. t . 28. f 159-
Rama ria palmata, Holmsk. Coryph. v. 1. with a fig.
T h e l e p h o r a palmata, Fries, Syst. Mycol. v. 1. p. 432.
T h e l e p h o r a flabellaris, Fries, loc. cit. p. 433. ?
H a b . On the ground in woods, Autumn. Near Glasgow, Mr R e n n i e .
Balmuto. In England, it has been found by various botanists ; as by
S o w e r b v in Hainault Forest,—by R e h l a n in Madingly Wood,—by
S i b t h o r p e in Shotover Plantations,—and by Mr P u r t o n in a similar
locality at Arrow.
Tufted, often gregarious, varying in size from half an inch to above four
inches in height, and from a single stem to a dense mass two or Üiree
inches in thickness ; erect, robust at the base, much branched ; the
branches coriaceous, flat, plicate, dilated upwards, palmate, more or less
laciniate, and whitish at the apex. The colour of the rest of the plant