KNIEFFIA — MUCRONELLA. 181 



Knieffi,a subgelatinosa, B. & Br., Ann. Nat. Hist., n. 1-444; 

 Stev., B. F., p. 258. 



On fir stnmps. Forming a very thin, broadly effused 

 subgelatinoiis film. 



^o^ 



MUCRONELLA. Fr. (fig. 8, p. 149.) 



Sporophore obsolete ; spines subulate, simple, acute, gla- 

 brous, scattered or fasciculate, and then more or less con- 

 nate at the base ; basidia monosporous. 



Mucronella, Fries, Hym. Eur., p. 629 ; Sacc, Syll. vii. 

 p. 512. 



Mihcronia, Fries, S. V. S., p. 329 (not Mucronea of Ben- 

 tham). 



A peculiar genus, resembling Uijdnum in the aculeate 

 spines, but differiug in the absence of the sporophore or 

 resupinate })ortion from which the spines originate in Hijd- 

 num. Also differing in the monosporous basidia, which, 

 in Mucronella calva, the only species I have examined, are 

 but slightly or not at all inflated upwards, and suggest 

 the conidiophores of some Ilypliomycetous fungus, as Isaria. 

 It may possibly be shown at some time, that the species of 

 Mucronella are conidial conditions of some higher form, as 

 Ptijcho</asfer has been already proved to be the conidial 

 condition of Polyporus. 



Mucronella calva. Fr. (fig. 8, p. 149.) 



Si)ines i— 1 in. lung, very slender, whitish, then grey, 

 scattered, quite smooth and even, and covered externally, 

 except at the tips, with slender, subeqiial, monosporous ba- 

 sidia ; spores subglobose, apiculate, colourless, 4r-5 /a diameter. 



Mucronella calva, Fries, Hym. Eur., p. 629 ; Sacc, Syll. vi, 

 n. 70:58. 



Hydnum calvum, Albertini and Schweinitz, p. 271, t. 10, 

 f. 8. 



On rotten pino and other wood. The spines are erect, 

 not .V mm. thick at the base, tapering to the apex, either 

 scattered or gregarious. Very much resembling the upright, 

 spine-like bodies not uncommon on trunks, and obviously 

 belonging to yoimg mycelium. The present species differs 

 from sucli in bearing globose spore-liko bodies. 



