160 FETCH : 



CLATHRACEM. 

 Genus 4. Clathrus, Micheli. 



Receptaculum netted, without a stalk : branches of tlie 

 net many-chambered : gleba covering the inner surface of 

 the net when ripe. 



1. — Clathrus crispatus, Thwaites. 



A Clathrus attributed by Berkeley to C. caticellatus was 

 collected by Gardner in 1844. Others were collected by 

 Thwaites in 1859, and, of these, figures and one specimen 

 remain in the herbarium at Peradeniya. One drawing, 

 labelled July 29, 1859, shows two unexpanded specimens: 

 they are spherical, brownish or yellowish gray, seven cen- 

 timetres in diameter, marked above with roughly hexagonal 

 areas about 1-5 cms. across, and below with elongated poly- 

 gonal areas which meet at the base : the mycelium is composed 

 of numerous, thick, white strands. Another drawing, labelled 

 ^'Clathrus crispatus; Hantane, elev. 4,000 feet, August, 

 1859, " represents the same two specimens, one of them now 

 expanded ; the net is broken into four parts, one of which is 

 half the whole receptaculum, while each of the other three 

 consists of a basal arm and a small part of the net : the broken 

 outspread receptaculum is 24 cms. in diameter. The basal 

 arms are six in number ; they vary in length from three to 

 six centimetres and in breadth from 1^ to 2 cms. The arms 

 of the net are of the same breadth, and the oval meshes are 

 only about 2 by IJ cms. The inner surfaces of the arms are 

 perforated ; the sections of the broken arms show two or three 

 layers of cavities : the external surface is figured quite smooth. 

 The colour of the exterior is pinkish with a red margin to the 

 meshes ; the interior varies from pinkish at the base, through 

 rose, to deep red in the middle of the arms. The gleba is 

 indicated by black patches on the inner surface. The her- 

 barium specimen consists of two pieces, one of four meshes 

 and the other of nine, apparently from the upper part. 

 Another herbarium specimen is labelled " Hakgala, 1881 " ; 

 it shows the same structure of the volva, an apparently smooth 

 external surface of the net, and a continuous coat of the gleba 



