Hiftory of tbe Briri/b Stellated Lycoperdons. 37 
that more than two’ fpecies of ftellated Lycoperdons could exift, 
he direétly arranged all which he met with under one or the other 
of thefe fpecies. The fornicatum of Hudfon happening, unfortu- 
nately for this theory, to have the head fupported on a peduncle, 
as well as the plant figured in R. Syn.; this difficulty could no 
otherwife be difpofed of, than by making that plant, notwithftand- 
ing its totally different appearance and habit, a variety of his new- 
formed: fpecies. of fornicatum. But as the fpecific characters of 
Linnzus and Hudfon, though he thought proper to retain the 
names, would not by any means fuit this difpofition, he was under 
the neceffity of forming new ones, which he has done as follows : 
Lycoperdon ftellatum—Radice Jubcampanulata*, volva multifida 
patente ; tunica exteriori tenui. fragili, ca- 
pitulo albido Jef : ore lacerato: Bryant’ s 
Hift. Acc. &c, p. 14. 
To this are quoted as fynonyms, Scop. fl. carn. 1. p. és n. 2. (a) 
— Hall. Hifl. n. 2174.—Buxb. cent. 2. 45. 1. 49. f. 3. 
Lycoperdon, fornicatum— Radice fibrofa *, volva multifida fornicata; 
; tunica exteriori flamentofa, capitulo ni- 
gricante pedunculato. Br. Hift. Acc. &c. 
P. 14 : 
quadrifidum—B.—volva quadrifida. 
The 
"NE B. has introduced the roots to form part of his fpecific characters, and he may 
be right i in his defcription of the campanulated root of his ftellatum, though I have never 
feen any other roots than fuch as were fufiform, terminated by a few fibres; and a root 
broken in the ground would neceffarily put on fomewhat of the appearance which he de- 
Ícribes. Perfons converfant with fea plants know that fuch roots are common amongft 
the fuci; but they alío know that the moft received opinion is, that the roots of thefe 
plants are no more than fulcra, or points of fupport ; and that the plants do not derive any 
nourifhment by their means. We can have no doubt but the roots of thefe Lycoperdons 
are defigned to afford nourifhment to the plant, whilft in a growing ftate; though feam 
the peculiar mode of vegetation, they are loft as foon as the plants arrive at ma- 
turity, 
