DECADES OF FUNGI. 193 
stem; and in the receptacle, whose rays are grooved beneath, 
not being confluent with the stem. The number ofrays is very 
variable in this genus ; it appears therefore that Aseroe pen- 
tactina, Endlicher, is not to be distinguished from A. rubra. 
It will be seen in Bauer's figure of A. pentactina, that the 
receptacle is perfectly confluent with the stem, and that the 
cells of the rays are similar to those of the stems. This is 
by no means the case in the present species. Each half ray 
is connected with its neighbour by a distinct groove, whence 
it would almost seem as if the bifurcate rays arose from the 
confluence oftwo neighbouring half rays, presenting a sort of 
analogy to the staminal crown in Asclepiadia. This, how- 
ever, is perhaps rather apparent than real, though it presents 
one of those curious resemblances which are so striking in 
every division of organized beings. 
Tas. V. B.—Aseroe viridis ; f. 1. Plant, nat. size. ; f. 2. the 
same with the volva cut through, ditto. 
BRooME1A, n. g. 
Peridium duplex, utrumque persistens ; exterius incom- 
pletum, confluendo stromatiforme individuorum plurimorum 
commune, suberosum, ab inferiore papyraceo apice fimbriato 
dehiscente cujus basin tantum investit discretum. Capillitium 
laxum, peridio undique adnatum ; spore insperse echinulatze; 
flocci nodosi —Fungus gregarius, odorus massam confertam ex 
individuis plurimis constantem efformans quorum singulorum 
basis in peridio exteriori communi immergitur, sed puncto tantum 
figitur. Nomen dedi in honorem amicissimi, C. E. Broome, 
armigeri, Tuberacearum Anglicarum accuratismi indagatoris, 
cujus pene solius laboribus extant hodie viginti species indigene 
ungorum hypogeorum. 
10. Broomeia congregata, n. s. (Tas. VI. A.) 
On rotten wood. Found in the district of Albany, C.B.S. 
by Mr. J. Backhouse, 1838. 
Forming a mass 5.6 inches in diameter, consisting of 
above 150 individuals. The external peridium is represented 
by an uniform corky stroma } of an inch thick, of a pinkish | 
