Order Hvmenomycetes. Tribe Cupulati. 



pLAtE XXXII. 



BULGARIA INQUINANS,Per.oo. 



Pitch-black Bulgaria.^ 



Gen. Cliar. Cup at first closed ; Asci immersed, at length free and bursting forth. Gelatinous ; name from 

 Bulga, a leathern bag. 



Spec. Cliar. Bulgaria luatiNANS. Top shaped, firm, tough, elastic, gelatinous, dark brown or chocolate ; 

 externally rough, rugulose, fm-furaceous umber ; disc nearly plane, sometimes lacunose, smooth and shining, pitch- 

 black ; stem in general blunt, almost obsolete, sometimes fasciculate and confluent. 

 Bulgaria inquinans, Fries, Berkeley. 

 Peziza inquinans, Persoon. 



nigra, BulUard. 



polymorpha, Withering, Sowerly. 



Hah. On PoUards and felled trees. Autumn and winter. 



There are only two of this family known in England, Bulgaria inquinans and Bulgaria sarcoides : the 

 latter cannot be mistaken for its relative; but a totally different Fungus, Tremella fimlriata, has been so by 

 cursory observers, therefore it appears necessary to point out the distinction between them, as they are 

 members of very distinct natural tribes, the Cupulati and the Tremellim. Bulgaria is a division of the 

 Cupulati, having the reproductive bodies situated in their concavity, which is more or less closed when 

 young ; iu the Tremellini there is no concavity, except such as may be artificially formed by the folds and 

 wrinkles of the mass, upon the external surface of which the spores are placed. Bulgaria is a top-shaped 

 cup, fUled with dense jelly iu which the spores are immersed; Tremella fimbriata is not a cup at aU; it was 

 for some time doubtful whether it was a British Fungus, but that is placed now beyond all question. It 

 abounded at Hayes, in the winter of 1846-7, on oak-poUards feUed the previous season, but not denuded 

 of their bark. When moist it is gelatinous and elastic; when dry, extremely brittle, corrugated and 

 gathered in plaits to one point, and this point is inserted stem fasliion, (but is not a true stem,) into the 

 fissures from which it springs. Whole lines of it filled up the deep channels cracked in the bark. Wlien 

 dry, under the microscope it resembles a shining brilliant lump of coke ; it gives a tint to water Kke pale 

 sherry. Bulgaria inquinans likewise tinges water in the same manner, and melted down is a good 

 substitute for Indian Ink or Sepia, working very pleasantly, and as if gum were mixed in common water- 

 colour ; run do\\Ti iu this manner the substance is elastic and might be taken for Lidian rubber, but is not 

 so tough ; it has no unpleasant taste or smell, and possibly may be nutritious, but of this we know notliing. 

 Exidia glandulosa, another Fungus with which our Bulgaria when emptied of its contents may be con- 

 founded, belongs to the Tremellini. 



