2*22 ruNGi. [Sdei'otium. 



Pers. Syn. p, 121. Nees, Syst. f. 140. Fr. Syst. Mijc, v. 2. 

 p. 248. Desm. ! exs. n. 5-36 — Clavaria polymorplia, Sow. t 276. 

 On fallen leaves, especially those of elm. Autumn and winter; very 

 common. — Erect, attached at the base only in a single point, compress- 

 ed, obovate, sometimes lobed, at first white, then yellowish-brown very 

 smooth ; substance within loo:?e, externally compact, consisting of 

 branched intricate filaments with intermixed minute round sporidia. 

 Epidermis under a high magnifier, and viewed by transmitted light, 

 marked with curious gyrose lines, resembling somewhat the outlines of 

 the concamerations in some Ammonites, when dry slightly pruinose 

 from the sporidia. I do not find it stipitale, but only tapering at the base, 

 by which it is very loosely attached. I am quite certain that my plant 

 is the same as Sowerby's though his figure is quoted by Fries under 

 Pistillaria ohovata. 



2. S. scutelldtiun, A. & S. {shield-like Sclerotium) ; horizontal 

 slightly stipitate orbicular depressed brown, white within. Alb. 

 ^ Schw. Consp. t. 3./. 6. Fr. Syst. Myc. v. 2. p. 249. Grev. 

 Sc. Crypt Fit. 144./ 1. 



On the veins and petioles of leaves. Spring. Vo^\\Q\\,Capt. Wauch.-- 

 There is apparently the same species growing on paper in Mr. Sowerby's 

 Herbarium. " Gregarious, orbicular, uuich depressed, attached by a 

 central point or minute tuft of filaments beneath. Pale when young, 

 at length deep brown, and eventually nearly black, white within. Surface 

 smootli. Substance extremely tough. It has a remarkably strong 

 smell for so small a plant, resembling that of the larger Fungi." Grev. 

 I. c. This must not be confounded with certain galls of very similar 

 form, which sometimes occur on oak-leaves. 



3. S. Semen, Tode, {Cahhage-seed Sclerotium) ; free at length 

 quite spherical dirty white, then yellowish-brown, then dark- 

 brown, at length black and corrugated, white within. Tode, 

 Fung. Meek. t.f. 7. Pers. Syn. j^. 123. Fr. Syst. Myc. v. 2. 

 p. 249. Grev. Scot. Crypt. Fl. t. 144./. 2. — Sphmria Brassiccs, 

 Bolt. t. 114./. 2. Sow. t. 393./ 3. 



On leaves, stems of herbaceous plants, damp cord. Sec, common. 

 Winter and spring.— I can find no difference at all between the plant when 

 growing on cabbages, and when growing on various other substances. 

 The flesh is equally white in either case ; and sometimes immersed, 

 sometimes quite free. When produced in a contracted furrow, it is 

 occasionally obovate and compressed, and with difficulty distinguishable 

 from Sclerotium Complanatum, were it not for the absence of the 

 minute wavy lines on the epidermis. The plant published by Fries, 

 Scler. Suec"! n. 68, differs from any British specimens! have seen, in 

 being subdiaphanous, so that when a strong light shines upon it, a 

 luminous yellowish spot is formed on any substance upon which it is 

 placed. Authentic specimens of Sph. Brassicce, Dicks., prove Scl. varium. 



4. S. quercigeman, Berk. {Oak-trunk Sclerotium) ; globoso- 

 depressed umbilicated beneath, attaciied by a few obsolete 

 short fibres so as to be almost loose, white, then bright red- 

 brown at length black, white within, corrugated when dry. 



On decorticated felled oaks, blackened with Cladosporium herbarwn. 



