''-■1-- ■ ' 



162 



MB. F. OUBBEY OK A SPECIES 



lateral carpels with no ovules on their edges (fig. 5), but between 

 them there was an arched body, beariaer a style, and studded with 



fotir rows of ovules, two on either si 

 carpels had become detached, with 

 each, and had imited to form the arcl 



four 



originally, the anterior and pos 

 strip bearing ovules and united 

 single style ? 



On a SpecW of Piloholus. 

 By Fbedebiok Cuebet, Esq., M.A., T.L.S. &c. 



_,<■ 



^ t 



... -I'- 





f^ 



X L 



^ i-r^-^ 



i Jt'v.'" * * 



^>-^-i ^. 



[TLend Dec. 16th, 1856.] 



■ T ^-■*r-*-- " .^-^ y*^>^ v_^'^^* >N.^.?-m*;v^*L-^i^ ■ aV-^ m;^-" .-^ -L-.fi. ^ '^ , ^-^f y.^ r - t_ -►■ 



' 1 



-* » 



J - 



A SPECIES of Pilobolus has lately occurred in the neighbourhood 

 of Blackheath, differing in some respects from the only common 

 species, Piloboltis crystallinus^ and closely resembling, if it be not 

 identical with, Piloholtis roridus of Bolton, which has hitherto been 



considered a doubtful form. ■ Like Filobolus crystallinus it is a 

 most delicate and elegant fungus, although not choice in its 

 habitat, flourishing as it does on the sxirface of cow-dung. My 

 attention was first attracted by a number of little points of a dull 

 yellow colour, giving a scabrous appearance to the surface of the 

 dung, and an examination with a lens disclosed a very few small, 

 ripe specimens of the Pilohohis, not differing much at first sight 

 from ordinary specimens of Piloholus crystallinus. By scraping 

 off a thin layer of the cow-dung and keeping it under a small 

 bell-glass in a moist atmosphere, an abundant crop appeared in a 

 few hours, which was followed by others in continuous succession 

 for a fortnight; after which the soil appeared to be exhausted, 

 and in order to procure further specimens a fresh layer of the 

 cow-dung was necessary. 1 have thus been enabled to follow out 

 the different phases of the plant and to examine its structure with 

 some mtauteness. Tlie yellow points above alluded to become 

 elongated iuto filiform processes, tapering slightly towards the upper 

 extremity, which frequently assumes a clearer and deeper colour 

 (PL IT, fig. 1), Subsequently the apex of these threads becomes 

 gradually swollen into the form of a flattened sphere, at which 

 period the plants look like small orange-coloured pins (fig. 2). 

 The swollen heads gradually change colour, becoming first of a 

 dull olive-green, and eventually black ; or rather (as appears upon 

 a closer exaimnation) a very deep opaque purple.'^: During the 



N " 



* 4 



\5- 



■^\ - 





f ■_ 



J ^' 



* V 







.,^^.-f>- 



^ ' 



- ' > 



-y^- 



.r- r 



/ I" 



. f 



, x" - 



'■J k^' 



f 



, ■ _ ^ 





-^->i-' ■■^■^ 



i_x 



V-. 



- ,'> - 



^1 - 



^_ 



_; . 



-T- _ V -I 



M 



-.r 



■ -■"*£■ . ^^ J- yv-''^"'\-u .-'■--'- ^ 



-iV 



■* 



,^- 



x^ 1 



. ' -a 



. 4 -,- 



> ■ S w - ^^ 



. <-'-'y^^^i-'T 



' ^. "^ 



y _- 



* ■_ 





r-^ -■^'■■^■ 



Jf-- 





. .. -y:.^"i ^'^:^ryz' 



^_ 



-f' -. 





/-■^ 



¥. 



: X 



.pT.,. 





- f 



1ft 



'^-Jt +v 



^;1r 



.^. 





^k'/ -^ijJ^ 





-^J 



",- 



* 



.;;.- ^ 



^-^ -_^ 



'.y i- ^"jr."- F 



