193 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF GALLACEA 

 SCLERODERMA CKE. LLOYD. 



;With Plates IX and X.j 



By G. H. Cunningham, 



Government Mycologist, Department of Agriculture, 



Wellington, X.Z. 



The monot3'pic genus Gallacea was proposed by Lloyd {Lye. 

 Aust. p. ^/ (1905)) as the result of an examination of the t3'pe 

 specimen of Mesophellia Scleroderma Cooke, which he con- 

 sidered, on account of the difference in the nature and structure 

 of the gleba, could not be classed in the genus Mesophellia. He 

 placed his new genus in the Lycopefdaceae (section anomalae). 



Recently the \\Titer forwarded specimens of what he beheved 

 to be this species to ^Ir Lloyd who in reph* sent a copy of two 

 articles pubhshed later in Mycological Xotes, vii, p. 1201 (1923). 

 Here he changed the name to Gallacea violacea (Cke. et Mass.) as 

 he found that Cooke and Massee had subsequently described 

 the same species as Rhizopogon violaceus. He also commented 

 on the position the genus should occupy, suggesting that it and 

 several other genera [Diploderma, Hysterangium, Mesophellia, 

 Rhizopogon (in part), Jaczeuskia, Phallogaster and Prof libera) on 

 account of the agreement of certain characters, notably spore 

 characters, should be placed in a distinct group or family. 



As the fungus is fairly abundant in a certain locality near 

 Welhngton, the writer decided to work out the development, 

 with a \-iew to obtaining some light upon its phylogenetic 

 position. 



A detailed description of the mature plant is given, as the 

 fresh specimens do not altogether agree \\ith Lloyd's descriptions. 



Gallacea Scleroderma (Cooke) Lloyd, Lye. A us. p. ^S (1905). 



Mesophellia Scleroderma Cke., Grevillea, xiv, p. 11 (1S85). 



Rhizopogon violaceus Cke. et Mass., Grevillea, xxi, p. 21 (1893). 



Gallacea violacea (Cke. et Mass.) Lloyd, Myc. Xotes, vii, 

 p. 1201 (1923). 



Peridium \-iolet, depressed-globose, often irregularly lobed, 

 up to 10 cm. broad, and 6 cm. high, minutely tomentose, almost 

 smooth, dull, dry, thick, 2-^ mm. ; with several coarse, \-iolet- 

 tinted rhizoids springing from the base ; drpng dull brown, with 

 traces of \'iolet in depressions on the surface, becoming minuteh' 

 rugulose. 



Gleba oUvaceous or dark chestnut-brown, traversed b}- 

 numerous gelatinous, hyahne trabeculae which spring from a 



