JOHNSTON. — ON CAULOGLOSSUM TRANSVERSARIUM. 73 



ever, which seem to be twisted in the drawing of Tulasne, perhaps owing 

 to shrinkage in the specimen, bear but two spores on short sterigmata. 



Protubera, Moller, and Phallogaster, Morgan, like Ilgsterangium, 

 resemble Rhopalogaster through the presence of an incomplete columella ; 

 but although the early development of Phallogaster is as yet unknown, 

 both genera appear to possess characters which should associate them 

 much more closely with the Phalloideae than with the Hysterangiaceae. 



In summing up this comparison with the three divisions of the Hymen- 

 ogastrineae it is evident that Rhopalogaster is similar to the Secotiaceae 

 only through the presence of a central columella running to the apex 

 of the peridium. The differences lie in the nature of the peridium, in 

 the origin and development of the tramal plates, and in general habit. 



The Hysterangiaceae show resemblance in glebal structure, and in the 

 origin and development of tramal plates. The differences lie rather in the 

 basidia and spores and in the possession of only an incomplete columella. 



Affinities with the Hymenogastraceae lie in the similarity of glebal 

 characters ; the differences are apparent in the lack of an axil columella, 

 in the origin and development of the tramal plates, and in general habit. 



It will thus be seen that although Rhopalogaster resembles the Seco- 

 tiaceae and the Hymenogastraceae in certain respects, the origin of its 

 gleba excludes it absolutely from both these families ; and that, on the 

 other hand, except for the presence of a complete columella, it may be 

 very closely associated with forms belonging to, or at least that have 

 been placed among, the Hysterangiaceae. 



Ggmnoglossitm, for example, although its columella is incomplete and 

 the peridium is said to be entirely lacking in all stages of development, 

 seems very similar in general structure and habit as well as in the pos- 

 session of tetrasporous basidia, bearing brown ovoid spores on well- 

 developed sterigmata. Gautiera also offers points of resemblance in 

 possessing an evanescent peridium, and distinct, though rudimentary, col- 

 umella. The genus Hysterangium, to which reference has previously been 

 made, although dissimilar in respect to its basidia and spores, possesses 

 an almost complete, though much less clearly limited, columella ; from 

 which the glebal structures develop almost exactly as in Rhopalogaster. 



Although, even excluding Protubera and Phallogaster, the Hysteran- 

 giaceae of Fischer include a somewhat miscellaneous assortment of 

 forms, none of which present even general points of structure to which 

 our plant can be said strictly to conform, it seems desirable, in view 

 of the resemblances noticed, to include it in this family. It may be 

 su"-o-ested, however, that the discovery of additional forms, or a fuller 



