122 Rev. Mr. Kiucy'i Obfervations upon certain Fungi 



The next Fungus of the wheat that I lliall notice, is that JEcidium 

 known to agricultLirifts by the name of the Red Gum. This fpccies 

 grows ufLially upon the infide of the glumes of the calyx ami of the 

 exterior valvule of the corolla, under their epidermis', which, when 

 the plant is ripe, burfts, and emits a powder of a briglit orange colour. 

 This little plant, which is now well known (i), does not appear to 

 be materially injurious to the grain, if at all. I have feen cars full 

 of it, with very plumj^ kernels. I have alfo found it upon branded 

 ears. Before the cuticle which covers the feed of this FungushMx^s^. 

 it has very much the appearance of a fmali puftule upon the human 

 body. 



Another plant of this order, which is very common upon wheat. 

 Is that named by Mr. Lambert in the Linnean Tranfaftions (/), and 

 by Mr. Sowerby in his elegant work upon Englilh Fungi {v), Uredo 

 Frumenti. It grows upon the foliage,' culm, and glumes, burfting 

 in longitudinal ftreaks from under the epidermis. Thefe gentlemen 

 reprefcnt this plant as the blight of the wheat, which in certain fea- 

 fons and foils is fo Injurious to that grain. I had myfelf for fome 

 time fufpefted that it was the caufe of that difeafe ; but after re- 

 peated examination of ears the ftraw of which was quite black with 

 it, I had given up that opinion, for in no one inftance was the grain 

 injured by it. Yet I would by no means be underftood to contradict 

 the aflertion of thefe gentlemen in totuin. This plant, when it makes 

 its attack before the wheat begins to harden, by depriving it of part 

 of its nutriment may occafion it to fhrink ; and Mr. Lambert's own 

 experience feems to confirm this obfervation : unlcfs the mifchievous 

 plant which I (hall next mention had taken polfeflion of the ear, at 

 the fame time that the Uredo Frumenti had diicoloured the flalk ; 



{j) Linn. Tranf. vol. iii. p. 249, 25O. (/) Id. vol. iv. p. I93, 19^. 



(',)) EttgUJh Fungi, vol. ji. tab. cxL. 



for 



