which the receptacle is furnished ; for in plants holding so low
a rank in the scale of vegetation, we are compelled to be satisfied
with characters which would not be considered valid in
moie perfect vegetable forms. Among the earlier botanists,
this group was not united with Sphæria, and I have adopted
the genus N y la r ia from H i l l and from S c h i i a n k . It divides
naturally enough into two sections, as the species are either
more or less carnose or suberose. Mr G r a y has constituted
genera of both these sections, which is carrying the matter
too far.
For the discovery and communication of the present spe-
cies, I am indebted to my scientific and highly esteemed friend
W . C. T r e v e l y a n , Esq.
^ f;::
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Fig. 1. Plants o f Xylaria gracilis, nat. she. Fig. 2. A section o f the receptacle.
Fig. 3. A section o f part o f a receptacle magnified. Fig. 4. A spherule removed
from the receptacle. Fig. 5. The same divided. Fig. 6. The appearance
o f the filaments contained in the spherules, under the microscope.
V
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