i :
A R C Y R IA FLAVA.
Yellow Arcyria.
C la s s a n d O h d e b CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, Lmn GASTEROMYCETES,
O rd . I I . T r i c h o s p e rm i, Fries.
GENERIC c h a r a c t e r .
Peridium memhranacewm, circumscissum, parte superiorejugacissima. Flocci rc‘
ticulati basi adnati. Sporidia jloccis inspersa.
Peridium membranaceous, bursting transversely, the upper portion very
fugacious. Flocci reticulated, fixed to the base. Sporidia among the
flocci.
SPECIFIC c h a r a c t e r .
A r c y r i a flava ; sordide jlava, capillitio cylindrico valde elongato, laixissimo,
nutante.
A. dull yellow, capiUitium (or mass of filaments) cylindrical, much elongated,
very lax, drooping.
A r c y r i a flava, Pers. Obs. Mycol. I . p . 58.'—Syn. Fung. p . 1 8 4 Alb. et
Schwein. p. 10 1 .—Schwein. Fung. Carol. N o .'3 9 5 .'—Mart. FI. Erlang.
p. 379-—Bices, Syst. p. 32. t. 10. f. 1 1 5 .—Flook. FI. Scot. Pt. 2 . p. 13.
A r c y r i a n u ta n s , Grev. FI. Edin. p . 45 5 .
T r i c h i a n u ta n s . Bull. Champ, p . 122. t . 5 0 2 . f. 3— De Cand. FI. Franç. v . 2.
p . 2 5 4— Ejusd. Syn. p . 5 3— With. Bot. Arr. v. 4. p. 4 7 4 .—Dicks. Fasc.
Crypt. 3. p . 2 3 .—Sow. Fung. t. 960.— Purt. Midi. FI. v . 2. p . 72 0 . e t v . 3.
t. 24. f. 1.
H a b . On r o tt e n w o o d , s um m e r a n d a u tum n , n o t f r e q u e n t.
Plant gregarious, or growing in small tufts, upon a thin, pale, subjacent
membrane, and of a dull yellow or buff colour. Peridium ovate-cylindrical,
whitish when quite young, soon becoming yellow and membranaceous,
the upper portion very evanescent, a small cup-shaped portion
at the base, persistent. As the peridium disappears, the capillitium or
internal reticulated mass of filaments expands and elongates elastically,
till it becomes half an inch or more in length, cylindrical, exceedingly
lax, and drooping by its own weight from the very base. For some
time, it is fixed to the centre of the persistent cup-shaped portion o f the
peridium, b u t at length separates. Sporidia globose, yellow, profuse,
under a high power o f the microscope almost diaphanous.