416 FETCH : 



The other common species is Auricularia (LascMa) tremd- 

 losa Fr. In all probabihty, the Ceylon specimens attributed 

 to Laschia lurida Ces., and Auricularia veluiina Lev. were 

 the same species. LascMa lurida Ces., was, according to 

 Cesati, considered by Berkeley to be very close to tremellosa, 

 and the brief description does not reveal any point by which 

 it could be distinguished from the latter. Holtermann gives a 

 figure (PI. VI., 1&, Ic) of Auricularia deliciosa (? an error for 

 delicata) which might be taken to represent, with a shght degree 

 of success, the Ceylon species attributed to A. tremellosa. 



Auricularia tremellosa {Laschia tremellosa Fr. ) , as represent^ 

 ed by Ceylon specimens, is orbicular, convex or sometimes 

 almost plane, usually projecting horizontally from tree trunks, 

 joined to the substratum near the margin, sessile, gelatinous, 

 thickened and elevated at the point of attachment, usually 

 about 6x4 cms., but in wetter districts sometimes 10 X 8 

 cms., about 5 mm. thick as a rule, but up to 1 cm. thick in 

 the larger specimens ; upper surface glabrous or somewhat 

 granular, brown, yellow-brown, or white ; margin entire, thin ; 

 hymenium pruinose, brown or purphsh, with ribs up to 3 or 

 even 5 miUimetres high radiating from beneath the point of 

 attachment and diminishing in height towards the margin, 

 joined by lower ribs, or giving off branches wliicli fork 

 or interlock without anastomosing ; spores white, curved, 

 cylindric, 10-12 X 4 A*. Fries himself stated that Laschia 

 delicata was not to be distinguished from Laschia tremellosa. 



We have still to consider the further question which has 

 been regarded as decided by other mycologists who have 

 studied in the tropics, viz., whether all the species mentioned 

 above are really forms of the common European Auricularia 

 auricula judce. Lindau (Engler-Prantl. PflanzenfamiHen) 

 accepts this view, and, stating that A. auricula judce is a cos- 

 mopolitan species, illustrates it by three figures, one of which 

 is undoubtedly Auricularia tremellosa, a rather poor copy of 

 Holler's figure. Moller, in his " Protobasidiomyceten, Unter- 

 suchungen aus Brasihen," appears to have been the first to 

 enunciate this view : he agrees that A. delicata is identical 

 with A. tremellosa, and joins with it Laschia velutina Lev. and 

 L. nitida Fr., but he goes further and gives as the result of his 



