H I.
■ I
Slender, c y h n to c a l, from a quarter to nearly an inch in length, and of a
dark purphsh-brown colour. T h e peridium is extremely fugacious disappearing
to the very base, and leaving a cylindrical mass o f beautifully
reticulated woolly filaments, attached to the stipes, which penetrates to
th e very apex. Stipes black, very slender, straight, shining, varying in
lengtin Spondia exceedingly numerous, globose, among the network
o f the filaments. Subjacent membrane a very thin pellicle, pale, shining.
This is a piaiit of frequent occurrence, but, it is to be hoped
not the iess interesting on that account, as an iiiustration of
tiie genus to which it beiongs. My object in this work has
indeed been to introduce occasionaiiy such piants as the botanist
IS iikeiy to meet in his mycoiogicai rambies ; a pian which
cannot faii to excite investigation, and encourage those who
are iess acquainted with the deiightfui study of Cryptogamic
vegetation, to examine more attentiveiy the new worid which
they wiii find from day to day opening around them.
Few genera of G a s t r o m y c i are better defined than the
present one. In some respects it approaches Trichia, and
more neariy A rsc y ria , but is removed from both by the stipes
which penetrates the sporangium.
StemonUes typhina of P e r s o o n has been added as a synonym
to our piant by my friend Mr P u r t o n , and perhaps he
may be right. I am too doubtfui, however, on the subject, at
present to foiiow his exampie.
Fig. 1. SLjascicuIata, nat. size. Fig. 2. P h n ts magnified. Fig. 3. A young
idant. Fig. 4. A plant after the peridium has vanished. Fig. S. ivoollv
fdaments and sporidia.