123 



rnoyal from it. Its three species agree in habit, in their annual root, 

 their few-flowered heads, their yellow rays (always 5) which are not 

 open niuch after sunrise, and in their akenes,.both of ray and disk, 

 being wholly destitute of pappus. 



An Imperfectly-described Phalioid. 



By Charles H. Peck. 



(Plate XXV.) 



The description of Phallus Ravenelii, B. &. C.» as published in 

 Grevillea^ VoL ii, p. '^-^^^ is somewhat imperfect, and efforts to identify 

 the specimens by it are likely to be unsatisfactory and perplexing. 

 I could not myself feel fully satisfied that my specimens belonged to 

 this species until, through the kindness of Mr. H. W. Ravenel, who 

 first collected specimens of it, and for whom it was named, I was 

 permitted to see the manuscript description which he made of it at 

 the time of its discovery. His description is so full and agrees so 

 accurately with my specimens that there is no longer any room for 

 doubt concerning their identity, nor concerning the real characters of 

 the species. The growing interest in these curious plants, and the de- 

 sirableness oi having the specific characters fully published, must be 

 my apology for the notes here given. 



Phallus ^^z^^;/^/// is furnished with an indusium or veil, although 

 the published description makes no mention of it. This omission, 

 however, has been supplied by Prof. W. G. Farlow in his remarks 

 concerning this species in the Bulletin oi the Bussey Institute, tSyS, 

 p. 247 ; and. the presence of the veil is also indicated in the Torrev 

 Bulletin, Vol. vii, p. 11, where Mr. W. R. Gerard has listed this 

 species, with several others, in the section Hymenophallus, whose 

 chief distinguishing characteristic is the veil In our other indu- 

 siate species the veil is so large that it depends below the margin of 

 the pileus in a conspicuous manner; and it is generally net-like in 

 structure because of its numerous perforations. In this species the 

 veil is without perforations and is divided into two parts, one of 

 which is attached to the top of the stem and is concealed beneatli 

 the pileus, while the other is attached at the base of the stem and is 

 concealed within the bulb. Sometimes there is also a small interme- 

 diate fragment which adheres io and surrounds the middle of the 

 stem, but this is unusual. According to Mr. Ravenel's observations, 

 while the stem and pileus are yet encased within the bulb these two 

 parts of the veil are united, but as the stem elongates they are torn 

 aumder, the one being carried up with the pileus, the other remain- 

 ing in the bulb. 



in P. indusiafus^ P, duplicatus and P, impudicus the denuded 

 pileus is coarsely reticulate-pitted, resembling in some degree the 

 pileus of morels {Morchella)^ but in this species its struclure is very 

 different. In the description, the pileus is said to be " even," but in 

 reality it is full of minute cells or cavities and has a cellular-spongy 

 structure similar to that of the stem. These cavities or perforations 

 in the upper or exterior surface are smaller than those of the lower 

 or interior surface. They become visible when the spores have dis- 

 appeared. 



