550 PHOSPHORESCENT FUNGI IN AUSTRALIA, 



On another occasion he saw at a distance a tree in the forest 

 aglow, and he imagined that it must have been set in a blaze by 

 lightning. "On making my way to it, I found that the light 

 was produced by a remarkable Agaric which grew, tier above 

 tier, up the trunk of a dead Eucalyptus occidentalis" The species 

 was different from those previously described. . 



The descriptions of the phenomenon here given by two good 

 observers on the spot will serve as a general introduction to the 

 subject. 



Fungi possessing this property. 



The number of phosphorescent species is not large, only about 

 21 being determined with certainty, and they are generally 

 natives of warm climates and belong mostly to the family Agari- 

 cacece. Of these no less than five are confined to Australia, and 

 fifteen of them altogether are known in our island continent. 

 Only some of those detected b}^ Drummond have been determined, 

 and a number probably await investigation. 



The following list gives the known species, chiefly according 

 to Zopf,* and I have added the distribution of those found in 

 Australia. This will enable collectors to seek for those at present 

 unknown or undescribed. 



1. Armillaria mellea, Vahl. Europe, America, and Australia; 



very common. 



2. Pleurotus candescens, F.v.M. Victoria; New South Wales 



(Baker*); on dead wood. 



3. P.facifer, B. & C. United States. 



4. P. gardneri, Berk. Queensland, on half rotten fronds of 



Palm; Brazil. 



5. P. igneus, Rumph. Amboyna. 



6. P. illuminans, F.v.M. New South Wales, Victoria, Queens- 



land; on dead wood. 



* Die Pilze, p. 19-5 (1890). 

 *Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, 1899, p. 446. 



