﻿OF 
  BRITISH 
  FUNGI. 
  87 
  

  

  task 
  of 
  defining 
  it 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  be 
  comprehended 
  by 
  our 
  

   non-scientific 
  readers, 
  except 
  by 
  stating 
  in 
  general 
  

   terms 
  that 
  the 
  hymenium, 
  or 
  fructifying 
  surface, 
  is 
  

   almost 
  destitute 
  of 
  folds 
  or 
  projections. 
  No 
  fungus 
  is 
  

   more 
  common 
  or 
  better 
  known 
  than 
  Stereum 
  hirsutum, 
  

   which 
  is 
  found 
  on 
  stumps 
  everywhere. 
  The 
  leathery 
  

   pileus 
  spreading 
  out 
  from 
  its 
  matrix, 
  hairy 
  on 
  its 
  upper 
  

   surface, 
  of 
  a 
  colour 
  bordering 
  upon 
  olive, 
  zoned 
  with 
  a 
  

   darker 
  tint, 
  and 
  bearing 
  a 
  yellowish 
  margin. 
  In 
  size 
  

   it 
  is 
  generally 
  three 
  or 
  four 
  inches 
  across, 
  and 
  several 
  

   pilei 
  are 
  often 
  closely 
  arranged 
  one 
  above 
  another. 
  

   Many 
  others 
  in 
  this 
  group 
  are 
  nearly 
  equally 
  common, 
  

   did 
  the 
  limits 
  of 
  our 
  work 
  permit 
  of 
  their 
  description 
  

   and 
  illustration 
  ; 
  but 
  as 
  more 
  important 
  genera 
  are 
  still 
  

   unnoticed, 
  we 
  must 
  content 
  ourselves 
  with 
  again 
  referring 
  

   to 
  the 
  synopsis. 
  

  

  CLUB-BEARING 
  FUNGI. 
  

   In 
  this 
  order 
  (Clavariei) 
  another 
  change 
  of 
  form 
  

   takes 
  place. 
  We 
  have 
  herein, 
  grouped 
  together, 
  a 
  

   series 
  of 
  club-shaped, 
  or 
  branched, 
  fleshy 
  fungi, 
  with 
  

   the 
  hymenium 
  scarcely 
  distinct 
  from 
  the 
  portion 
  which 
  

   bears 
  it, 
  and 
  often 
  obtaining 
  a 
  great 
  expansion 
  of 
  surface 
  

   by 
  means 
  of 
  multiplied 
  and 
  intricate 
  ramifications. 
  The 
  

   most 
  beautiful 
  examples 
  are 
  not 
  met 
  with 
  in 
  Britain, 
  

   but 
  those 
  which 
  we 
  have 
  may 
  serve 
  to 
  give 
  a 
  general 
  

   idea 
  of 
  the 
  more 
  magnificent 
  kinds 
  which 
  vegetate 
  

   in 
  the 
  Alpine 
  regions 
  of 
  Europe. 
  Some 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  

   have 
  white, 
  and 
  others 
  yellowish 
  spores. 
  The 
  former 
  

   are 
  nearly 
  all 
  wholesome, 
  the 
  latter 
  seldom. 
  It 
  has, 
  

  

  