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XYLARIA GRACILIS.
Slender Xyktria.
Class and Ordeh CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, iin » .—Nat. Oed. H YPO X Y LA ,
De Cand. Grev.
GEN ERIC CHARACTER.
Receptaculum carnosum vel suberosum, stipite proeditum. SpheeruUe in recepta-
culo immers«, intùs massa gelatinosa sporulifera repletæ.
Receptacle carnose or suberose, furnished with a stipes. Spherules immersed
in the receptacle, and containing a gelatinous sporuliferous mass.
s P E C i r i c c h a r a c t e r .
X ylaria gracilis ; stipite elongato, cylindraceo, equali, subfle.tuoso ; receptáculo
lævi, ovato-rotundato, fusco ; sphoerulis oblongis, pallidis.
X. stipes elongated, cylindrical, equal, somewhat flexuose; receptacle smooth,
roundish-ovate, brown ; spherules oblong, pale.
H ab. On the ground, in moist mossy places. Shetland, W. C. T revelyan,
Esq.
Plant subgregarious. Root composed of a few stout divisions, each tlirow-
ing out fibres, but not freely. Stipes 1-2 inches long, erect, a line or
more in diameter, firm, somewhat flexuose, equal, ochraceous-brown, of a
coriaceous texture. Receptacle roundish-ovate, one-fourth to one-third
of an inch long, smooth, between carnose and coriaceous, and of a darkish
brown colour. Spherules very pale, occupying the whole exterior of
the receptacle, oblong, with a short narrow neck, which is seen only on
dissection, as the mouth does not project from the surface of the receptacle.
I have not detected any thing like regular sporules, but the spherules
contain a mats of filaments which are very fragile towards their extremities,
where I observed a few dissepiments. These, by separating,
may perform the office of sporules, as in some Byssoideæ.
In the introduction of this very distinct and interesting
plant to the public, I also lay before them one of a natural
group of the old genus Sphæria, not hitherto illustrated in this
work. They arc sufficiently distinguished by the stipes with
VOL. II.