IIYMF.XOXYCETE& 



HYMEXOMYCETES. 



r bm*M fMmm**nl tngeUwr by lamellate, sinuous, or porou* folds ; 

 awi aland sr. ailuated only oo UM toothed proeeais*. 



ha* UM hymenium tobarculafed ; UM tubercles ahapelese. 

 papilla* or rude aomewhat angular (pines, more or lea* 

 ml, dUtinct or irregular) v fociculate, the inner substance 

 OBJrusainiii with UM nwpUde ; the aaci occupying indifforenUy all 

 art* of UM hytneoium. 



PUM* ha* UM hymenium homogeneous and concrete, with the 

 pilvtu ODOOth. veooaoHnigoee, wrinkles interrupted, diiposed irregu- 

 Srly. straight or ftexooaa, bearing aaci all over. 



Ta^paont ha* UM hymeoium homogeneous and concrete with the 

 Ufle.*en or papillate. UM whole aurface bearing anci. 



M |**Mrm Afmrient contain* by far the greatest number of 

 On Utia account it ha* been found necessary to class the 



Ifoat of the species included tinder the series Leucotporut are 

 eatable, and contain tboee species which are mentioned as edible in 

 UM article AOABICUS. It also contains the various species of Amanita, 

 which are among the largest and most remarkable forms of the fungi. 

 A Catarta is remarkable for 1U beauty, but not so much so as for the 

 traditional b-lief that it was in a dish of these mushrooms, which 

 wen regarded by the Romans aa one of the greatest luxuries of the 

 table, that Agrippina administered poison to her husband Claudius 

 Cagaar, in order to hasten her son's aoceasion to the imperial power. 

 A. muteari* poaaeaaea an intoxicating or narcotic property. It is 

 used by UM inhabitant* of the north-eastern parts of Asia in the 

 mm* manner u wine, brandy, arrack, spruce, Ac. are by other nations. 

 On* large or two small fungi is a common dose to produce a pleasing 

 intoxication for the whole of the day. [FcKoi.] 



Upward* of 700 specie* of the genus Agaricui have been described ; 

 4rf UMM US are native* of UM British lalanda. 



Bfht specie* of UM genus CamtkartUtu inhabit Great Britain. The 

 C. muraititeni U amid to be a poisonous plant It is common in fir- 

 wood* sod paatures. It ha* a beautiful orange colour and a strong 

 nail (,'. nonriw, the Common Chanterelle, is common in woods in 

 UM rammer and autumn. The pileus is of a pale yellow colour, and 

 UM whole plant has an agreeable smell like that of apricoU. On the 

 naHasiii of Kurope tbi* fungus U eaten, but U not often used in Great 

 Britain. It i however dangerous when eaten raw, and should always 

 be cooked. They form a delicious ingredient in rich gravies. 



Oo* of UM specie* of MmUiiu ha* been supposed to be the cause 

 of dry-rot [UnT-Hor; Mmuuus.] Berkeley describes five species 

 of tU* grans u natives of Great Britain. 



OfJMsMpM/Mi but one species has been found in Great Britain, 

 Uk* & naiaiesii. It to a very beautiful fungus, and has been found 

 U *Jmo<* very part of the world. 



a* /WWi has been so named from the remarkable sinuo- 

 I oolpture-like pores of iu hvmenium. It. guerdon is found 

 ly oo oak-trees or (tump* and roots of that wood. It is an 



astringent, and has been applied to wounda to arrest hgDmorrhage. It 

 is commonly called " the lung* of the oak," and was formerly on 

 this account used u a remedy in phthisis. It is at the present day 

 old in Covent Garden market for that purpose. There are several 

 other specie* of this genus which are indigenous in Great Britain. 

 It. tuareolnu is a northern plant It yields an agreeable perfume. 



Upwards of forty species of the genus Polyponu are found in Great 

 Britain, and many more European species have been described. Many 

 of the species are used in art* and medicine. P. iyniariut has long 

 been famed as a styptic. Amadou, or German Tinder, is made from 

 this plant by separating the porous hymeuium from the harder parti, 

 and steeping it in a solution of nitre after it has been beaten into a 

 soft spongy state. Many other specie* of Polyporiu may be used for 

 the same purpose. The Laplanders also use them for applying the 

 actual cautery in the same way as the Japanese and Chinese use the 

 moxa. When they suffer from pain in the limbs, they pull the fungus 

 in pieces, and placing it on the skin, set fire to it and allow it to burn 

 away till it blisters the skin, when it acts as a counter-irritant P. 

 officinalit is a cathartic. P. tauveoltm hag a pleasant smell. Some of 

 the species secrete acids, and boletic, fungic, and oxalic acids have 

 been obtained from them. P. irjuamoiut is one of the largest of 

 British fungi, weighing sometimes aa much as 30 Ibs. P. dettructor is 

 one of the fungi found on decaying timber when it is attacked with 

 what is called dry-rot 



Many of the plants formerly included under the genus Doletiu are 

 now referred to Polyporia. Berkeley enumerates sixteen species of 

 the genus Bolettu as natives of Great Britain. [BOLETUS.] 



The genus Hydimm, although named after SSrof, the truffle, includes 

 a different series of plants. The hymenium is formed of spiuous bodies 

 which give to the species of this genus a very formidable appearance. 

 Hence they are called in the country spine-stools, prickle-stools, itc. 

 Several species are natives of Great Britain. Some are eatable, but 

 caution should be used in their selection. De Candolle says that those 

 which have a dark colour are dangerous. 



The genus Pittulina has one representative in Great Britain, P. 

 htpatica, the Pipe-Stool. It grows upon the trunks of old oaks and 

 other trees. It is eaten in France. When cut into it is beautifully 

 marbled with red and white streaks resembling a fine piece of beef. 

 It is called iu France Foie de Bocuf, Langue de Boeuf, Glue de Chine, 

 &c. It has an acid taste, but is rather tough. It has been known 

 sometimes to attain the weight of 30 Ibs. 



The genera Sittotrtma, Irper, Kadulum, and Phlebia are small 

 genera, and not used as food, or in any other way. Thelephora is an 

 extensive genus, and forty-two species are indigenous in Great Britain. 

 They are common on decaying branches of trees, 4c., and exhibit a 

 variety of colours. 



The tribe Claraii, which are distinguished by a single or branched 

 vertical receptacle, embrace the following British genera : CVovorto, 

 Calocera, Gcoglotium, Spathularia, MitriUa, Typhula, and Piitillaria. 

 These plant*, in their branched and club-shaped forms, resemble the 

 corals, and were actually placed by the older naturalists in the same 

 clan. Some of the species of the Clavali are edible. All the Clavaria 

 ore esteemed aa food. C. rugota has an agreeable flavour like that of 

 the common mushroom. C. Jlara and C. pyxidata are prized on 

 account of their taste. C. cinerea is the species most commonly eaten 

 on the Continent 



The Uitrati have a bullate, filiform, margined receptacle. They 

 embrace five British genera : Morchella, Hdvdia, Veapa, Leotlia, and 

 Vtbrutea. 



The genus Morchella yields the esculent fungus morel. [MoiiKi. ] 

 Three species are found in Great Britain. There are also three 

 British species of Htlrclla as that genus is at present defined. The 

 species of JItlrclla are edible. //. critpa is considered the best 

 species for eating, but none of the species, foreign or British, are 

 poisonous. 



The tribe Cupula/i, which has a patelliform margined receptacle 

 with a superior hymenium, contains the following British genera : 

 Pni;a, PateUaria, A icobolut, Bulgaria, DUiola, Tympana, Cenamjium, 

 fUictu, Cryptomycet, Cyplielia. Of these Paiza is the most extensive 

 genus, containing upwards of 800 species, of which 106 are natives of 

 Great Britain. Some of these plant* are very remarkable from the 

 regular cup-like form and the deep colours they present P. cnccinra 

 is perhaps the most elegant plant belonging to the natural order of 

 Punui. The outer surface of the cup which it forms is white and 

 downy, whilst the inside is of the richest carmine. It frequently 

 grows on sticks covered with moss, the green colour of which forms 

 a beautiful contrast with the white and crimson of the Peziza. P. 

 ftrvgmoM ha* a deep green colour, and possesses the property of 

 staining wood on which it grows of the same colour as itself. The 

 Petaa are not generally eaten, but none of them are poisonous. 



The fifth and sixth tribe* of the Jfymtnomyceta are the Tremtllini 

 and Xclcmliacri. The Tremeliini embrace six British genera, [Tiiu- 

 Mi'.i.r.iM. ) The British genera included under Sclerotiacci are Pyre- 

 mum, Acroipermum, Sdervtina, Periola, and Spermoedia. These are 

 among the lowest forms of the Hymenomycetous fungi, and include 

 specie* which are found attacking the various Certalia, producing the 

 disease called ergot [Eiuioi ; SPEBUORDIA.] An account of the 

 remaining forma of the Fungi a given under UASTKKOMYCKTKS. 



