CEYLON FUNGI. ' 51 



and it is therefore impossible to say whether these sutural 

 lines were inserted by the artist or by the lithographer. 

 The figure would be a fair representation of a piece of tortoise- 

 shell, but it misrepresents the volva of Volvaria terastia. In 

 very wet weather the surface of the volva does not split into 

 areolae. 



5.— Volvaria diplasia, B. & Br. 



Pileus 8-11 cm. in diameter, broadly conico-campanulate, 

 sometimes obtusely umbonate, golden yellow or almost white, 

 centre smooth, elsewhere densely covered with spreading 

 fascicles of short siUcy hairs, cuticle extending beyond the 

 giUs : flesh thick, white. 



Stalk about 10 cm. long, attenuated upwards, r3-r5 cm. 

 in diameter at the base, '8-1 cm. in diameter at the apex, 

 white, shining, somewhat brittle, sohd. 



Volva 3-4 cm. high, substance thin and tough, usually 

 closely sheathing the stem, white or pale brown and 

 smooth externally, white with scattered yeUow spots 

 internally. 



Gills white, then pink, widely free, edge entire or serrate, 

 ventricose, rounded at both ends. 



Spores deep Indian red in mass, elliptic, 6-8 x 4-5 /i. 



On decaying wood ; sometimes on dead stumps at a height 

 of 9 feet from the ground. 



In general stature and the structure of the pileus this species 

 resembles V. terastia, but it apparently differs in its constantly 

 thinner stalk, lax volva, and elliptic spores, as well as in its 

 habit of growing on wood. In one specimen which developed 

 beneath a decaying log, the half of the pileus exposed to the 

 light was golden yellow, while the half in comparative dark- 

 ness was pure white. 



6.— Volvaria geaster, B. & Br. 



The figure of this species bears the following note in Thwaites' 

 handwriting : " Immature, and unfortunately no more speci- 

 mens could be found. It had much the appearance of a 

 Geaster, which I thought it was until I cut it through." From 



