ASCOPHORA M u c e d o .
Common Ascophora.
Class and O b d e r CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI,iinn.—Nat. O r d . GASTROMYCI!
Link,
G EN E R IC CHARACTER.
(Peridiola t e n u i s s im a fugacissima Sporidia globosa ( demum 9 ) nuda, in capite
injlato, exteme coacervata. Capita solitarid, Jhccis septatis, erectis, stipitata.
(Peridiola exceedingly thin and fugacious ?) Sporidia globose, (at length ?)
naked, disposed on the external surface of an inflated head. Heads solitary,
stipitate, on erect, articulated flocci.
S P E C IF IC CHARACTER.
A s c o p h o r a Mucedo ; aggregata, mucoriformis, capitulis sphæricis, ex albido
nigro-coeseis, sporidiis sporidiola globosa minima includenlibus.
A. crowded, mucor-like, the little heads spherical, at first whitish, at length
dark grey ; sporidia enclosing minute globose sporidiola.
A s c o p h o r a Mucedo, Tode, Fung. p. 13. t. 3. f. 22.—Albert, et Schwein. p . 356.
—Link, in Beri. Mag. v. 3. p. 30. t. 2. f. 4,3.— Nees, Syst. p. 83. t. 6. f 80.
—Mart. Fl. Frl. p . 362— Schwein. Fung. Carol. No. 1236.— Crev. Fl.
Fdin. p. 448.
Mucor Mucedo, Pers. Syn. Fung. p. 201— De Cand. Fl. Franç. v. 2. p. 248^
—Fjusd. Syn. p. 5 2.i—Purt. Midi. Fl. v. 3. p. 501. m part— Hook, i t .
Scot. Pt. 2. p. 13. excl. syn. Soiv.—Schum. Fl. Sail. v. 2. p. 237-
Mucor ascophorus. Link, Sp. PL Willd. Continuât. 4. 6. p. 85.
M ucor ro iid u s , Willd. Ust. Bot. Mag. 4. p. l . f d e Link.
Mucedo grisea, Pers. Disp. Meth. Fung. p. 14.
H ab. Various putrefying substances, especially bread, paste, &c. Ex-
tremely common.
Plant crowded and delicate, 2 -4 lines in height. The stems are like those
o f a Mucor, pellucid, colourless, very slender, articulated, simple; the
fertile ones 1 -4 lines in height, while many barren ones lie prostrate and
interwoven at the base. Each of the erect stems supports a solitary
globular little head, which, in the young state, is a mere globule of viscid
fluid, of a whitish or yellowish colour ; b u t it insensibly becomes
firmer, gradually assumes a bluish hue, and at length shews itself to be
covered b y an uniform mass of sporidia, of a dark greenish-grey colour.
Within, the h ead is hollow and inflated, the m embrane of which it is formed
w hite and very thin. Sporidia ra th e r large, numerous, globose, dark
grey, entirely covering the head with a uniform layer, enclosing 2-3 minute,
round sporidiola.
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