Rev. M. J. Berkeley on a new Fungus. 327 



XL.- — Description of a new Fungus from British Guiana. 

 By the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, M.A., F.L.S. 



[With a Plate.] 



The singular and beautiful species of which I have now the plea- 

 sure of giving a description and figure was kindly transmitted to 

 me by Mr. Bentham. It was gathered in British Guiana by Mr. 

 Schomburgk, who was struck with the curious circumstance that 

 in the driest weather it always contains some water, and in the 

 rainy season is quite full. This is the more remarkable as the 

 specimens when immersed in water are soon saturated with 

 moisture, and when placed in paper become dry in a very short 

 time. How so bibulous a substance can retain any liquid is very 

 difficult to understand, for there is no dense stratum of cells to 

 prevent its percolation, and it is scarcely probable that it can 

 secrete any. I am inclined however to think that the water is 

 prevented from coming into immediate contact with the fungus by 

 the air which is imprisoned by the velvety down which clothes the 

 upper surface ; but it is impossible to speak confidently without 

 observing the species in its natural habitat, and unfortunately 

 nothing beyond the simple fact was mentioned by Mr. Schom- 

 burgk. There is but one species to which it bears any strong 

 resemblance, viz. Thelephora infundihuliformis, Hook., in Kunth, 

 1 Syn/ Unfortunately no specimen remains in Sir W. J. Hooker's 

 herbarium, but the characters " pallide fusca, squamoso-hirsuta," 

 do not accord with our plant. I have therefore given it a specific 

 name denoting the peculiar property indicated by its discoverer. 



Stereum hydrophorum, Berk. Pileo infundibuliformi, juniori 

 integro, adulto fisso-crenato zonato ferrugineo velutino, pilis hie 

 illic fasciculatis ; stipite brevi concolore subtiliter velutino, hy- 

 menio lsevi pallidiore. 



Hab. On decayed wood, British Guiana. 



Pileus 4 1 J inches broad, 3 inches deep, thin, papyraceo- coria- 

 ceous, infundibuliform, at first quite entire, at length crenate and 

 split, but scarcely lobed, ferruginous, repeatedly zoned, especially 

 towards the margin, clothed with short velvety down, which in 

 parts is thicker and fasciculate. 



Stem 1 inch high, 2 lines thick, incrassated above, attached by 

 a small disc, minutely velvety, of the same colour as the pileus, 

 solid. 



Hymenium smooth, even, paler than the pileus. 



Tn the younger specimen the hymenium is finely zoned as well 

 as the pileus, and in parts there is a slight velvety appearance, 

 which arises either from the hymenium not being completely 

 formed, or from the plant having accidentally been inverted, 



Plate IX. fig. 2. Stereum hydrophorum, nat. size. 



