MR. W. PHILLIPS ON THE GENUS VIBRISSEA. 5 
_ pressure throughout the whole of the hymenium. So far from the cortical tissue ex- 
panding to accommodate this extra demand for space, it also undergoes a degree of con- 
traction, contributing still more to the lateral pressure existing in the hymenium. This 
pressure would produce very little effect upon the sporidia if a process had not previously 
been going on at the summits of the asci tending to facilitate their exit. In immature 
asci the walls of the summit are thicker than the sides; but on maturing, the summits 
become the thinnest, and most easy of fracture, as can easily be proved by pressing them 
under a microscopic slide. Неге, then, relief to the violent lateral pressure set up in the 
hymenium, as explained above, is found ; and the slender sporidia, narrowed towards each 
extremity, are foreed upwards, through the attenuated walls of the asci at the summits, 
into the air. The fracture through which they escape takes no definite form, like the 
operculum in Ascolobus, Peziza, &c., but is a mere irregular rent. Fries says that he 
has observed a strongly alliaceous odour given out by Vibrissea truncorum during the 
time it is exhibiting the singular phenomenon we have been describing; but I have not 
been able to distinguish it when collecting my specimens in North Wales. 
VIBRISSEA, Fries, amended. 
Aquatic fungi (except V. rimarum), bearing the exposed hymenium on a plane or cup- 
shaped membranaceous receptacle, stipitate or sessile, fleshy in texture, firm, ejecting from 
the asci slender elongated sporidia, which often remain attached by their extremities to 
the surface of the hymenium, giving it a velvety appearance. 
Hab. On decayed wood submerged in water. 
І. Stipitate. 
1. VIBRISSEA TRUNCORUM (Alb. & Schw.), Fr. Sys. Myc. vol. ii. p. 31; Sum. Veg. р. 360. 
Leotia truncorum, Alb. & Schw. Consp. Fung. p. 297, t. 3. f. 2; Schwein. Fung. Carol. 
p. 88; Pers. Mycol. Eur. p. 199.  Leotia clavus, 14. op. cit. p. 200, t. xi. £. 9. Vibrissea 
truncorum, Wall. Flo. Ger. vol. iv. p. 548; Kromb. 1. p. 76, t. v. f. 84-36; Corda, 
Anl. t. G. f. 66, 1, 2: Bail. t. 21; Bisch. Krypt. fig. 3374 ; Nees von Esen. u. Hen. 
Sys. der Pilzen, vol. ii. p. 67, t. 21; Rabh. Krypt. Flo. i. p. 339; Berk. Eng. Flo. 
vol. v. p. 186; Crypt. Bot. p. 284, fig. 328; Out. p. 361; Karst. Myco. Fenn. p. 26; 
Cooke, Handb. p. 662, fig. 328; Stev. Myco. Scot. p. 298; Quellet, Champ. p. 379; 
Peck, xxv. Report N.Y. Mus. p. 98. 
Exsiccati : Moug. & Nest. по. 781; Phill. El. Brit. no. 4. 
Fasciculate, gregarious or scattered; hymenium convex, golden yellow or blood-red, 
forming with the membranaceous receptacle an orbicular head; stipes terete, glaucous, 
squamulose ; asci cylindrical ; sporidia 8, filiform, Бори, paraphyses very slender, 
branched, slightly enlarged at the summits. 
The head is about 2 lines across, at first plane, becoming convex, often slightly ы, 
umbilicate beneath ; the stem at first stuffed, becoming hollow, 2 to 6 lines high, bluish 
grey, with blackish squamules or smooth, darker towards the base; the asci are very 
Jong, cylindrical, numerous; the sporidia very slender, eight in each ascus, divided by 
numerous septa 35 Уаз, long, ·001 millim. broad, narrower towards the extremities , 
