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CRYPTOMYCES W a u c h i i .
Willow Cryptomyces.
C la s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, A in n— NAT. O r d . FUNGI, Link,
Grev.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Fungus effusus, omnino adnatus, erumpens-, planiusculus, carnosus. Hymenium
omnem superfciem occupans. Thecce erectoe. Sporidia magna malia.
Fungus spreading, quite adnate, bursting forth, nearly plane, carnose
Hymenium covering the whole surface. Thecæ erect. Sporidia large,
oval.
S PEC IF IC CHARACTER.
C r y p t o m y c e s Wauchii j suhorbicularis,olivaceo-nigrescens, intus alhus ; thecoe
elongatis obtusis, sporidiis numerosis.
C. suborbicular, ohvaceous, at length nearly black, white within; thecæ
elongated, obtuse, containing numerous sporidia.
H a b . On the branches of a species of Willow (S a lix ), by the river side,
near Foxhall, Edinburgh. Summer and autumn, Captain W a u c h .
PfoHiiof a firm carnose substance, at first produced beneath the bark, wliich
does not burst until the fungus is mature : it then cracks, and becomes
revolute, exposing the surface of the fungus, which is perfectly adnate,
about a line in thickness, and mostly about one-third to h alf an inch in
diameter. Having once attacked a branch, it generally spreads all over
It, up to the very twigs, and causing the epidermis to crack and fall off;
in every direction. The surface is nearly smooth and even. The hy~
menium takes up about a third of the whole thickness, is of an olivaceous
black exteriorly, and within also of a dark colour ; the rest of the substance
is white. Thecoe very long, linear, obtuse, mixed with paraphyses,
and containing 4-6 large oval sporidia, in which a few globose spo-
rules are perceptible. Odour strong, much resembling that of many of
the larger fungi.
This very curious plant, discovered by my friend Captain
W a u c h in the course of tbe present season (1825), I have
little hesitation in placing as a new genus among the true Fungi.
I t is difficult to say with what it has nearest affinity. In general
habit, it might he supposed to resemble some species of
VOL. IV.