CLUSTER-CUPS. 15 



Darenth wood. It was far from uncommon, and we 

 believe it to be specifically distinct from its nearest 

 ally, found on the eartlmut leaves, and those of some 

 other umbelliferous plants. The little cups are in 

 small clusters of four or five together, on the under 

 surface and on the petioles ; they are small, but 

 the teeth are relatively large, white, and distinct. 

 The spores are of a pallid, yellowish colour, and not 

 so profuse as in the last species. A darker spot on 

 the upper surface of the leaf generally indicates 

 their presence. This species was found many years 

 ago by Carmichael at Appin, and called by him 

 JEcidium saniculce ; but not afterwards until we 

 found it, though it seems to be far from uncommon 

 at Darenth, and in other places, where the sanicle 

 is common also. 



Recently we found the bedstraw cluster-cup 

 (JEcidium galii) on the great hedge bedstraw 

 (Galium mollugo), and as it has not been figured 

 before, we have included it amongst our illustrations 

 (plate II. figs. 15 — 17). Though yery insignifi- 

 cant when occurring on the small leaves of the 

 yellow bedstraw (Galium verum), it is a prominent 

 object on the above-named species. 



We received, for the first time, in July, 1864, 

 from Mr. Gatty, student at Winchester, a portion 

 of a plant of Thesium humifusum (which is by no 

 means common in Britain), covered with beautiful 

 cluster-cups of a species never before recorded t-s 

 occurring in this country (plate III. figs. 50, 51) 



