FUNGI. 283 



phaoria group. Sedge leaves furnish an allied epiphyte, 



but the substance of the fungus is mainly hidden, and 

 only the mouth appears on the surface of the leaf; this 

 is the Sedge Neottisporia. Decaying holly leaves are 

 found marked with a circular spot, very pretty and 

 attractive ; this is another allied species, Ceuthosporia 

 Phacidioides. In the woods about Richmond, infected 

 leaves are found in great abundance. 



The simple Torula appears like a mere stain of soot on 

 tree stumps ; it is of very frequent occurrence in woods 

 where trees have been recently felled. Bramble leav - 

 afford pretty specimens of Aregma looking like minute 

 rusty spots to the naked eye, but showing pretty clusters 

 of stems, each surmounted by an oval head under the 

 microscope. This Aregma belongs to the Puccinia order, 

 which contains a large number of pretty and of danger- 

 ous species. 



When gathering spikes of betony for a noosegay, I was 

 attracted by the phenomenon of apparent fern-se ed upon 

 the leaves. The under surface of almost every leaf upon 

 the plant was dotted with brown clusters of spores, closely 

 resembling the seed masses on the back of the shield 

 ferns. This proved to be extensive plantations of 

 Puccinia Betonica ; I preserved some specimens then, 

 and having; revisited that Kentish lane two successive 

 seasons, I still find the betony leaves laden with Puccinia. 

 In Swaledale we have found dandelion leaves similarly 

 ornamented, but chiefly on the upper surface ; here the 

 clusters are smaller, and less swollen ; and never become 

 confluent (P. variabilis). In the same neighbourhood 



