BY D. McALPINE. 557 



to guide the nocturnal moths, so the luminous light of these 

 fungi will guide the flies and beetles in the dark direct to the 

 spore-bearing portion. In addition to the light, there is a strong- 

 odour, at least in this particular species, and so the night-flying- 

 insects will be attracted just as the day-loving insects are guided 

 by the bright colours and the penetrating odours of other members 

 of this large family. 



Technical Description. 

 Pleurotus candescens, F.v.M.— Glowing Pleurote. 



Caespitose, imbricated, with strong smell, phosphorescent. 

 Pileus up to 6 inches across, fleshy, soft, sub-dimidiate, at first 

 convex and horizontal, then becoming puckered, conchate, gener- 

 ally concave beneath or sometimes above, glabrous, moist, even, 

 satiny, yellowish to brownish or becoming lavender; flesh white, 

 cuticle may become separable. Stem short, stout and thickened 

 upwards, from 2-3 inches long, firm, obliquely ascending, lateral or 

 excentric, white to yellowish, downy at base. 



Gills decurrent, moderately crowded, broad, white, with a 

 yellowish tinge. 



Spores white, elliptical, 7i-9| x 4|-5^ /x. 



Beaumaris, Victoria; on trunks of Tea- tree or on the ground 

 arising from the roots; April-May, 1900. 



There is a considerable amount of variation in this species. 

 The colour may vary from yellowish to brownish or even be 

 entirely lavender in specimens of the same size. In the self-same 

 tuft, the stems may be lateral or excentric, or practically central, 

 while the pilei may be conchate or round and slightly convex. 

 This variation is largely caused by the extensive overlapping and 

 the necessity of each one accommodating itself to its surroundings. 

 From 9 to 12 may spring from a common base, and spreading 

 out horizontally and overlapping each other, they must vary in 

 shape, especially when some of them have a diameter of 6 inches. 

 They are found on the trunks of living trees, although usually 

 the particular spot from which they spring is dead, but this is 

 probably caused by the mycelium destroying the tissues. 



