SOMERSET PLANT-NOTES FOR 1915 105 



Blechnum Spicant With. 6. Churchstanton. 



Cystopteris fragilis Bernh,, var. dentata Hooker. 3. Wall, 

 near Thurloxton, H. Corder, sp. 



Lastrcea spinulosa Presl. 6. Churchstanton, Mrs. Macalister. 



Ophioglossuvi vidgatuvih. 3. Broomfield, 3Iiss G. Sampso7i. 



Botrijchium Liuiaria Sw. 1. By the old mineral line on the 

 top of the Brendon Hills, Mrs. Parry. 3. Aisholt Combe, H. 

 Corder. 9. Barrow Hill, Mrs. Sandivith {J. W. W.). 



Equisetitm pahistre Li. 3. Bathealton. 



Lycopodium Selago L. 3. Above Blagdon, H. S. TJwmpson. 

 He writes that the specimen in Herb. Clark (1863) is not this, but 

 L. clavatum 9. Blackdown, Mrs. Sandioitli. 



BATTAEREA PHALLOIDES IN BRITAIN. 

 By J. Ramsbottom, M.A., F.L.S. 



Miss E. F. Noel has presented to the National Herbarium 

 a specimen of Battarrea phalloides found during October last in 

 a hollow tree at Temple Guiting, Gloucestershire. The distri- 

 bution of this rare fungus is so peculiar that the opportunity 

 is here taken of recording its known appearances in this country. 

 According to C. G. Lloyd {Tylostomece, 1906, p. 6), the typical 

 form occurs in England, France, Austraha, and Cahfornia. It 

 is known from only one locality in France, near Moulins (Allier) ; 

 Lloyd gives a note by E. Olivier on its occurrence : " C'est le 

 22 septembre 1892 que pour la premiere fois j'ai trouve le 

 Battarrea phalloides croissant sur le sol dans I'int^rieur d'un 

 chene creux sur une couche epaisse de d6bris d'ecorces et de 

 feuilles decomposees. Quelques jours apr^s, j'en ai retrouve 

 deux individus dans les memes conditions dans I'interieur d'un 

 autre chene distant du premier d'environ 500 metres . . . 

 Depuis cette 6poque, chaque annee, j'ai vu le Battarrea au 

 nombres de plusieurs exemplaires surtout dans I'interieur du 

 premier chene." 



The fungus was first described and figured by Thomas 

 Woodward in Phil. Trans. Ixxiv, p. 423 (1784) — "An account 

 of a new Plant of the Order of Fungi. This extraordinary 

 vegetable production arises from a volva, which is buried six 

 or eight inches deep in dry sandy banks ; and, consequently, it 

 is extremely difficult to detect in its earliest state." According 

 to Woodward, Mr. Humphreys," of Norwich, first found the 

 fungus, but in a far advanced condition, when it was taken by 

 some persons for a decayed or abortive agaric. Woodward 

 himself first met with the fungus in its dry and withered state 

 near Bungay, Suffolk, in the spring of 1783, and sent it to 



* Smith (Spicil. fasc. i, 11) writes his name " Humphrey " and styles him 

 " senex optimus mihique oHm familiarissimus " ; in Trans. Linn. Soc. vii, 297 he 

 speaks of " llumfery" as "an amiable and communicative man." 



