VEGETABLE PHOSPHORESCENCE. 807 



The phosphorescence of fungi has been observed in various por- 

 tions of the world. Rumphius first noticed its appearance in Am- 

 boyna in a species of corticium to which the name Tdephora coirulmn 

 was given. Under this specific name are grouped many minute forms 

 of fungi, only the mycelium of which were known to Linnreus and 

 Agardh, the discovery of other organs forming the complete plant 

 being of more recent date. 



Among mushrooms four of the genus Agaricus are luminous, and 

 have been examined with special reference to this effect by Delille, 

 Fabre, and Tulasne : The red or orange-colored species [Agaricus 

 olearius), inhabiting the adjacent soil or roots of olive-trees in Cen- 

 tral Europe ; the fire-mushroom, or Agaricus igneus, which Rumphius 

 discovered in Amboyna ; the Agaricus noctilucus, found at Manila by 

 Gandichaud ; and Agaricus Gardineri of the Brazilian provinces, 

 growing upon the dead leaves of the Pindoba-palm. The red mush- 

 room of the olive-trees is wonderfully beautiful. The gills cmwe out 

 from the pedicle and expand under the pileus into a trumpet- or bell- 

 like form of almost vermilion hue, which changes at night into a pale- 

 blue light, gleaming, where they are massed together, like blue bells 

 of fire. 



M. de Candolle erroneously supposed that the phosphorescence of 

 the Agaricus of the olive occurred only at the time of its decomposi- 

 tion. M. Fries, with equal error, attributed the effect to the presence 

 of a secondary parasite ; Tulasne, however, denies that the seat of 

 light is in the mold, and states that he has observed the phosphores- 

 cence of the- plant itself. He agrees with Delille in regarding the 

 appearance as limited to the period of growth, and refers to it as a 

 "manifestation of vegetation." M. Delille supposed the radiance to 

 be intermittent, while M. Fabre observed that exposure to the sunlight 

 appeared to have no influence whatever upon the phenomena, and that 

 the light was exhibited at any time under cover of darkness. Dr. 

 Phipson, in reviewing M. Fabre, remarks that this seems, however, to 

 indicate that the light of the sun has in reality an influence upon the 

 emission of light during the daytime, and that the phenomenon is 

 probably a case of phosphorescence after insolation. But as we know 

 the Agaricus belongs to that class of colored pai-asites which are des- 

 titute of green foliage, and consequently of proper digestive organs of 

 their own, and draw support from the elaborated products of the fos- 

 ter-plant, the phosphorescence may be accounted for as the result of 

 chemical action under conditions where the influence of solar light is 

 not required to produce a higher combination. 



Tulasne recognized that the light was not confined exclusively to 

 the reproductive surfaces, and proved by dissection that the whole 

 mass offered scintillations. This is probably due to a sympathetic or 

 highly vitalized condition of the whole plant during the process of 

 fecundation, as is indicated by the juice of the phosphorescent euphor- 



