LYCOGALA.] 



LYCOGALACE^E. 



207 



referred to by Rostafinski as a type of P. flagellifera, is the form with 

 olivaceous capillitium and nearly smooth spores. The type of Tricliia 

 metallica Berk., from Tasmania (K. 1741), is almost destroyed, but 

 the spores and sporangium-wall indicate that it was of the Badminton 

 form. The type of P. elegantula Rost., from Sweden (K. 1743), is 

 a more perfect development with distinctly warted spores. P. cuprea 

 Mass., from Scarborough and Carlisle (K. 1744, 1745), is a frequent 

 form with minutely warted spores, and is similar to specimens of 

 P. flagellifera in Broome's collection. The large gatherings from 

 Lyme Regis, showing all degrees of variation, demonstrate that the 

 specimens in the collections to which different names have been given 

 represent one species, whose diverging forms are too inconstant to be 

 defined even as varieties. 



Hob. On dead sticks, bark, etc. Batheaston, Somerset (B. M. 324 

 to 331) ; Badminton, Gloucester (B. M. 333) ; Lyme Regis, Dorset 

 (L:B.M.170) ; Smethwick, Stafford (L:B.M.170) ; Berwick (Phillips' 

 Coll.) ; Sweden (K. 1743) ; Norway (Christiania Herb.) ; Tasmania 

 (K. 1741). 



SPECIES EXCLUDED FROM THE GENUS. 



P. Bombarda Mass. = Alwisia Bombard 'i Berk. & Br. 



Order IV. LYCOGALACE^E. Sporangia forming an aethalium ; 

 capillitium consisting of even or wrinkled branching colourless 

 tubes. 



This order contains the single genus Lycogala. 



Fig. 51. Lycogala miniatum Pers. 



a. Three aethalia. Natural size. 



I. Capillitium. Magnified 150 times. 



c. Spore. Magnified GOO times. 



Fig. 51. 



Genus 43. LYCOGALA Micheli, Nov. PI. Gen., p. 215 (1729). 

 ^Ethalia subglobose or conical, with a cortex consisting of two 

 or more closely combined layers of different structure, the outer 

 containing large cell-like vehicles, either enclosed or superficial, 

 and traversed by interlacing double-walled threads, which pene- 

 trate the homogeneous -inner layer at numerous points, their 

 inner walls only being continuous with the tubes of the capillitium; 

 capillitiurn grey or colourless, of wrinkled or nearly smooth 

 branching tubes, attached to all parts of the cortex, with numerous 

 rounded free ends. Isolated vesicles filled with granular matter 

 are often found scattered among the spores. 



The plasmodium of Lycogala miniatum first rises from the wood 

 as a group of small coral-red papillae, which soon extend to form a 

 cushion-like mass of closely convoluted veins or sporangia ; these are 



