A Fluorescent Colouring Matter. H. Wager. i6i 



coloration of the Fungi is also due in the main to colouring- 

 matters in the spore membrane, but these are apparently very 

 slightly soluble in alcohol, and so far as I have been able to 

 observe do not give fluorescent solutions. None of these 

 pigments has any resemblance, except colour, to the well-known 

 anthocyan pigments of flowers. Their behaviour with reagents 

 is totally different, and their physical characteristics are not 

 the same. We have very little knowledge of the chemical 

 nature of these fluorescing pigments, or of the conditions under 

 which they are formed. The yellow fluorescent pigment of 

 Leptonia incaiia resembles in some respects the well-known 

 colouring matter fluorescein ; both pigments are soluble in dilute 

 alcohol to a yellowish solution, and both give a brilliant green 

 fluorescence. When heated strongly they both give off fumes 

 of volatile matter and carbon is left; the fumes given off by 

 the Leptonia pigment have much the same odour as those 

 given off by the fluorescein. It is not improbable therefore 

 that the fluorescent pigments of the Fungi may be related to 

 that group of colours to which fluorescein belongs, but further 

 investigation is necessary before any satisfactory conclusion 

 can be reached. 



The following is a list of the Fungi I have examined which 

 give fluorescent solutions in alcohol*: 



Name of fungus 



Amanita muscaria 

 „ rttbescens 

 Amanitopsis vaginata] 

 var. fulva J 



Russula lilacea 

 , , atirata 



ochroleuca 

 ,, xerampelina 

 emetica 

 cya)ioxaut/ia 

 vesca 

 alutacea 

 ,, citriua 

 ,, vire scans 

 Leptonia incana 



lampyopits 

 Hygrophorus (yellow, red or 



green species) 

 Lepiota gra)nilosa 

 Laccaria laccata 

 Agavicus campestris 

 Thelephora laciniata 

 Inocybe Godeyi 

 Stropharia aeriisiitosa 

 Hypliolonia fasciculare 



Colour of alcoholic 

 solution 



Yellow-orange 

 Light yellow -brown 



Light yellow 



Light yellow 



Yellow 



Yellow 



Yellow-red 



Yellow-red 



Yellow 



Red 



Yellow-red 



Yellow-red 



Orange-red 



Green or yellow-green 



Yellow-brown 



Orange 



Light yellow 

 Light yellow-brown 

 Light yellow 

 Light brownish-red 

 Light yellow-brown 

 Yellow 

 Yellow-green 



* Cf. Weiss, loc. cit. 



Fluorescence 



Green 



Very slight green 



Light blue 



Blue 



Blue or blue-green 



Blue or blue-green 



Blue 



Blue 



Green 



Bright green-blue 



Brilliant blue 



Bright green-blue 



Blue-green 



Brilliant blue-green 



Blue-green 



Slight green 



Very slight green 

 Light blue-green 

 Very slight blue-green 

 Very slight green 

 Very slight green-blue 

 Light blue or green 

 Light green 



