ACOTYLEDONS. — FUNGI. SpJmr'ia. 



ble substances, rarely (never?) aquatics, and scarcely ever 

 green ; filamentous, gelatinous, spongy, corky, coriaceous, 

 fleshy, or membranaceous. In the larger sense of the word, the 

 whole may be considered di% fructification, since distinct from 

 it there is no stem, there are no branches, no leaves, no frond, 

 and very rarely a simple crustaceous base. The seeds or spo- 

 rules are either internal as in Sp/iceria, Bovista, or external 

 as in Agaricus, &c. After being once dried they do not re- 

 vive by the application of moisture, like the greater number 

 of plants in this class ; and, generally speaking, they are of 

 very short duration, soon decaying, and frequently becoming 

 putrid in decay. 



Div. I. Angiocarpi. Seeds or spornles contained witJdn the Fun- 

 gus, which is closed, at least in an early stage, on all sides. 



Sect. I. Sclerocarpi. Fungi of a hardish nature externally, 

 internally soft. 



1. SI'H-^RIA. 



Receptacle (or fungous substance) varying in form, or none. 

 Sphcerules roundish, when dry generally hollow ; when moist 

 filled with seeds included in a gelatinous substance. 



* Receptacle of the sphcerules elongated, clavatc. 



1. S. Hy poxy Ion, of a corky substance black compressed gre- 

 garious branched hairy at the base white and pulverulent at the 

 extremity. Pers,p,5. Clavaria Hypox., Lightf. p. 10o9. 

 Sow. t.o, 



Hab. Rotten trunks and stumps of trees, common. Autumn and 

 winter, Light/., Uopk., Mr. GreviUe. 



2. S. polymorpha, of a sui)stance between coriaceo\is and corky 

 black generally simple gregarious rounded swelling upwards 

 and there studded with the numerous spha^ules. Vers. Syn. 

 p, 1 . Clavaria digitata, Lightf. p. 105S. Sphceria dig., 

 Sow. t. 69. 



Hab. Rotten stumps of old trees, in woods and shady places, Lightf. 

 About Edinb. Aug. Mr. GreviUe. 



** Receptacle sessile, roundish, spreading; sphcerules forming little 

 points in all parts of the circumference. 



3. S. concentrica, obovate roiuulish large, within having many 

 concentric lines. Pers. p. 8. Sphceria fraxinca, Sow.t.lQO. 



Hab. On the decayed trunks of ash trees^ about Edinb., Mr. Gre- 

 viUe. 



4. S.fragifoj-?nis, rather small roundish gregarious confluent 

 reddish, within black aufl shining, sphierules forming papilloe. 

 Pers, p. 9. Lycaperdon variolosian, Sow. t. 2/1. 



