312 PETCH : 



R. verruculosa and R. atrofusca, while in Vol. VIII., Xo. 739 

 appears as R. venosa. In Herb. Peradeniya, the two species are 

 on the same sheet, without any distinguishing mark. There are 

 four pieces of bark. One of them measures 4 • 5 by 2 cms. , and 

 has the roots of some epiphyte, up to 6 cins. long, adhering to it ; 

 the bark is covered with a dark brown film, consisting of stout, 

 pale brown, creeping hyphse, 3 to 4 /i in diameter, sometimes 

 agglutinated into strands ; mixed with these are irregularly oval 

 or globose, pale or dark brown spores, 3 to 5 by 4 to 7 /* ; on the 

 bark at one end, and along the adhering roots, is a purple-black 

 horny crust which at first sight looks Uke a dried plasmodium, but 

 examination shows that this is an immatvu-e, effused, gelatinous 

 fixngus. The second piece meastires 5 by 3 • 5 cms. ; it has the 

 same brown film in the centre, and the purple-black horny 

 crust in a band from 5 to 15 mm. wide along each edge ; on one 

 side this band is interrupted by a pulverulent purple-black mass 

 of spores ; these spores are the same size and shape as those 

 among the creeping hyphae, but somewhat blackish brown ; 

 nearly all the spores are distorted. The third piece measures 

 3 by 1 • 5 cms. ; it has a shght film of brown hyj^hae, on which 

 are three pulvinate masses, each about 5 mm. diameter, of 

 blackish brown spores. The fourth piece bears a circular horny 

 patch about 1'5 cm. diameter, purple black in the centre, 

 becoming brown and membranous towards the edge : it is 

 radially and transversely cracked. According to the descrip- 

 tions, the first three should be Reticularia atrorufa, and the 

 fourth Reticularia venulosa. They are certainly not Reticularia, 

 and it does not seem possible that they are Trichosporium. 

 From the dried material, it is not possible to decide whether 

 there is only one species, or to what group it belongs. The 

 immature gelatinous form appears to be the same on all four 

 specimens, and it is identical with Thwaites' 989, which was 

 named Thelephora atropurpurascens, B. & Br., Fungi of Ceylon 

 No. 580. 



740. R. fuliginosa, B. & Br. EfiEusa, tenuis, ex olivaceo 

 fusca, sericea : sporis magnis globosis floccisque atropur- 

 pureis Isevibus (No. 247). On leaves of some palm. 

 Spores Hke of those of R. lurida. Accompanied by a 

 Helicoma. 



347 is apparently not in any herbarimn. The type specimen 

 of the Helicoma, H. hinale, B. & Br., No. 897, is not in Herb. 

 Peradeniya. 



