418 PETCH : 



species lies in tlie structure of the hymenium, and that 

 Holtermann did not succeed in obtaining specimens with the 

 hymenium of A. tremellosa. According to his illustrations, his 

 culture produced specimens with a smooth hymenium and 

 the erect habit of H. polytricha, not the entirely different 

 hymenium and habit of A . tremellosa. 



Both Hirneola polytricha and Auricularia [Laschia] tremel- 

 losa are common in Ceylon, and during the last four years I 

 have examined specimens in many parts of the Island, always 

 with Moller's view in mind. These have included specimens 

 from districts at sea level, at medium elevations, and at 6,000 

 ft., with rainfalls varying from 60 to 200 inches per annum. 

 But I have never found a specimen which could not be imme- 

 diately referred to one or the other of the two species. The 

 variations in rainfall, humidity, and chmate generally, in the 

 different districts of Ceylon, are without parallel in any other 

 country of similar extent, and it would be expected that such 

 conditions would be extremely favourable for the production of 

 intermediate forms, if the two species were identical ; but from 

 my experience I must certainly deny the existence of anything 

 of the kind. 



Hirneola polytricha is always strongly tomentose with hairs 

 nearly a miUimetre long, while Auricularia tremellosa is always 

 smooth, or minutely granular, to the naked eye. The two 

 species differ also in consistency, polytricha being always 

 leathery, while tremellosa is gelatinous : in very wet districts 

 polytricJm may become shghtly gelatinous, but under the same 

 conditions tremellosa becomes hquid internally. A large 

 specimen of the latter, measuring 10 by 8 cms. and 1 cm. in 

 thickness, was gathered at Hakgala, and left to dry on the 

 laboratory table. Unfortunately the margin was torn, and 

 consequently the hquid middle layer flowed out over the 

 table. With a slight rainfall, the hymenial surface of poly- 

 tricha is plane, becoming concave with wetter weather ; but 

 the hymenium of tremellosa is concave, except occasionally in 

 very wet districts where it may be almost plane. The colour 

 too is definitive; polytricha is alwaj^s violet or bluish-purple 

 throughout, v/liereas tremellosa is most often yellow-brown, 

 sometimes white, with only occasionally a tdnge of pui'ple on 



