266 CHAPTERS ON FUNGI. [^September, 



but the spores are moist and diffluent, instead of being dry and 

 volatile. 



I shall take as examples the genera Stilbum and Tubercularia. 



Stilbum. 



Spores collected into a solid head, involved in jelly. Flocci 

 forming a solid stem. 



Stilbum TOMENTOSUM, Schrad. Glandular Stilbum. White; 

 head globose; stems equal, glanduloso-tomentose, — Grev. Sc. 

 Crypt. Fl.t.2S] . 



Parasitic on different species of Trichia (a genus of the Order 

 Gasteromycetes) . 



A curious microscopic plant, not of common occurrence. It 

 appears as minute white dots on the affected Fungus, and requires 

 a considerable magnifying power to determine its structure. 



Tubercularia. 



Spores simple, subglobose, closely packed upon an erumpent, 

 distinct, more or less stemlike disk. 



The genus is now considered to be a spurious one, and the 

 different so-called species to be, in all probability, immature or 

 undeveloped states of species of Sphcerice. 



Tubercularia VULGARIS, Tode. Common Tubercularia. Erum- 

 pent; stratum of spores red, margin naked. 



On dead sticks and branches ; extremely common. 



One of the commonest of our Fungi, occurring on almost ^very 

 kind of dead or dry wood (except that of Coniferous trees). It 

 forms small, pale red, raised dots or spots, about a line in breadth, 

 on the branch affected, and affords, when examined by the mi- 

 croscope, a multitude of minute oblong spores. It is now con- 

 sidered to be a state of Sphceria cinnabarina, of which Fungus it 

 undoubtedly in many cases forms the stroma or base. 



Suborder 3. Dematiei. 



Mycelium floccose or cellular, mostly sparing; fertile threads 

 erect, carbonized, and rigid ; spores whorled or collected in heads, 

 often large and septate. 



Many curious forms occur in this suborder, which is disfen- 

 guished by its carbonized (or dark-coloured) threads. These are 

 generally of a dark brown, approacliing to black, but often have 

 a shade of olive. I take the genus 



