368 EETIEWS. 



press the lite surprise with regard to Mr. Berkeley, who has said 

 that the same species of Pistillaria is produced by Sclerotium com- 

 planattitn, Tod., and Sclerotium scutellatum, A. and S. 



Here it may be observed that the first volume of the Systema 

 Mycologicum was wTitten more than 40 years ago, and Fries cannot 

 fairly be assumed to retain all the opinions expressed in that work. 

 Indeed, upon turning to the account of Agaricus tuherosus given in 

 his latest work, the " Hymenomycetes Suecias," we find no mention 

 of the several Sclerotia alluded to in the Systema Mycologicum ; the 

 plant is there described as " semper innatus tuberi solido, glabro, 

 sclerotioideo, lutescenti." 



Whether the authors or their opponents are right is a matter 

 upon which it is very difficult to form an opinion. We cannot think 

 the matter is so clear as the former consider it to be. Tries and 

 Berkeley may have been mistaken ; it may be that Ag. tuherosus* 

 is never produced except from Sclerotium cornutum, and that the 

 Pistillaria of Sclerotium scutellatum is more delicate and branching 

 than that of Sclerotium complanatum ; but the instances alluded to 

 in a former number of this Eeview, f of the apparent production of 

 two diflerent sorts of Claviceps by the ergot of Phragmites, and of 

 Agaricus papillatus by the ergot of rye, still remain quite unex- 

 plained. 



Before parting with the Sclerotia we must notice the case of 

 the Peziza which is produced from Sclerotium sulcatum. This 

 Sclerotium inhabits the pith of the stems of Carices, and has been 

 observed by Mons. Diu-ieu de Maisonneuve to produce a small brown 

 Peziza, which is described at length at pp. 103 and 104 of the 

 present work, and to which the authors have given the name 

 of Peziza Duriseana. The account communicated by Mons. 

 D. de Maisonneuve to the MM. Tulasne, is so interesting 

 that we have been induced to translate that part of the note in 

 which it occurs. He says, " Carex arenaria of Linnscus occupies 

 " a well-defined space % of about 100 acres, forming a dense mass. 

 " When it has commenced forming spikes it all at once becomes with- 

 " ered and lank from the effects of the fungus of wliich it has long 

 " been the nidus. In this state it bears a wonderful resemblance to 



* Vol. i. p. 11. 



f We would call attention here to a paper by St. Schulzer v. Miiggenburg, in 

 the 10th vol. of the Transactions of the " Zoologisch-hotanische Gcsellschaft " of 

 Vienna, on the Sclerotium of Ag. tuherosus. The autlior seems to be of opinion 

 that the Sclerotium and the Agaric are independent organisms, and tliat the growth 

 of tlie Agaric from the Sclerotium is analogous to that of Hyduum aiu-iscalpium 

 from fir-cones. 



X We do not know how to translate the expression for the exact locality of this 

 plant. The words used are, " in jirato Fargensi." In a previous part of the note 

 the locality is spoken of as " ad Garumiuc ripas in pratis arcnosis aridisque agri 

 " Sirionensis, hand ])r()ciil a Vasatum tinihus, ct antique Fargarum castello, nunc 

 " funditns everso." The " Ager Sirionensis " must be the country round the ancient 

 Sirio, which stood at or near to the conllucuce of the Ciron and the Garonne. 



