SpJiceria.] FUNGI. 237 



15. S.fusca, Pers. (broum pulvinate Sphceria) ; convex piil- 

 vinate purple-brown at length black brown within, perithecia 

 globose, ostiola unibilicate. Pers. Syn. p. 12. Moug. ^ Nest.! 

 n. 178. Hook. Scot. 2. p. 5. Fr. Syst. Myc. v. 2. p. 332. 

 Scier. Sued n. 42. Spk. fuUgbiosa, Sow.! t. 373./ 9. Sp. 

 tuberculosa, Purt. ! v. 2 i^- 3. n. 1088. S. rugosa, Part.! v. 2. 

 ji. 108G. Stromatosphccria fusca, Grev. Fl. Ed. p. 356. 



On dead branches of hawthorn, hazel, &c. At firat clothed with a 

 rusty or purple-brown meal but not at all vermilion, and then often 

 resembling an incipient Thchphora, gradually increasing in thickness; 

 at length naked, black and, according to Fries, to whose correctness I 

 can bear witness, pierced like a sieve — Sph. tuhcrculusa. Bolt., cannot 

 be this species, as it is expressly stated to burst through the bark. I 

 am quite certain about the synonym of Sowerby, however strange it 

 may appear, but tiie plant represented is clearly a very thin confluent 

 form. 



16. S. cohcerens, Pers. (^gregcirious pulvinate SphcErici) ; con- 

 fluent convexo-plain, at first even dirty-brown then black, black 

 within, perithecia at length rather prominent papillate. Pers. 

 Syn. p.\l. Nees, Syst. /: 3 1 0. B. Fr. Syst. Myc. v. 2. p. 333. 

 Scler. Suec. ! 7i. 43. 3ioug. 4" Nest. ! n. 764. 



On branches, &c. — Specimens of this species are contained in 

 Sowerby's Herbarium, mounted on the same sheet with five. figured 

 Sp/tcorias, but the label having unfortunately become unglued, it is 

 impossible to determine accurately what species it was considered by 

 him. I am inclined to think it is his S. picea, t. 374./. 5, of wliich I 

 can otherwise find no specimen, if indeed he did not confound it with 

 Sphceria fusca. 



17. S. multiformis, Fr. (variable pulvi?iate Sphceria); irre- 

 gular, at first rugose rusty-brown, at length naked black, within 

 cinereous-black, perithecia subglobose at length prominent pa- 

 pillate. Fr. Syst. Myc. v. 2. p. 334. Scler. Suec. / n. 44. — a. 

 young. Fr. Obs. 1. t. 1./. 2, 3. .S'. argillacea, Pers. Ic. Pin', 

 t. S.f. 1 — 3. Slrouudospltccria cUiptica, Grev.! Sc. Crypt. J 7. 

 t. 114. Str. rubigiiwsa, I. c. t. 110. Sph. labrafa, Pers. in lilt. 

 3Ioug./ (.vs. — b. adult. Hypo.x. granuloyum, Pull. t. 487. /. 2. 

 Sph. granulosa, Sow. ! t. 355. Purt. ! v. 2 ^ 3. n. 1096. 



On branches and trunks of trees, especially birch. Connnon. — 

 Nothing can be n)ore different than the spongy-looking rubiginous young 

 plant and the same when fully grown, lint besides this change from 

 the young to the perfect plant, it assumes many forms, being sometimes 

 cllij)tic, or strongly raised and cristiform, and, on the other hand, 

 sometimes quite Hat and depressed. In this latter case the perithecia 



S/«tciVr, and llie valiialilt! work of Mouijoot and N«slh'r. Tor tbo advantafje 

 of a leisurely «'xaii»inali()ii of tlie Nju-t-irs ccnitaim-d in Mr. SowimIiv's Ilt-r- 

 Itarluiii I am iiMlfl)t.d tt» tin; joint kiiidiifss ami lil)iraliJ\ of Mr. J. I). C. 

 S..U. rl.y and hi^ l.rothrr Mr. (". K. .Sow.rhy. It is l>nt ri-lit lo ol.xrvi- tliat 

 at the time tin- Si/slmid Mi/o>lo,;icinn was iniblish.d, ."M. Irii-s had to trust, 

 a^* tar as Sowerby's sjHTifs wen* nmcernrd, to nott-s iniulo right yoars previously, 

 unJ ucccssarily iujperfcct recoUcclioiis, bee H^st. Myc. r. 2. ;». b21. 



