from a fresh specimen. Berkeley described this species as Ileodict- 

 yon gracile, 5 and gave a good figure of it in 1845. The genus Clathrus, 

 in which we include the plant, was proposed by Micheli for the only 

 species that grows in Europe or the United States (C. cancellatus). 

 We would refer to the genus Clathrus all phalloids that have an tin-' 

 stalked receptacle, consisting of a net or latticed structure, and subglo- 

 bose in shape. The color of Clathrus gracilis is pale or white. The 

 branches of the mesh are flattened, even, very narrow and slender, 

 varying from 2 to 3 mm. broad. They form a coarse net work with 

 large meshes sub-equal in diameters. 6 The gleba in the young plant 

 completely fills the interior of the mesh (see Plate 91, fig. 5). As the 

 plant expands the gleba deliquesces and remains spread evenly over 

 the inner side. 



SYNONYMS. As previously stated the plant may be called Ileodictyon gra- 

 cile if we consider this section of Clathrus a distinct genus. Prof. Fischer unites 

 Clathrus gracilis to Clathrus cibarius, and it must be admitted they are very 

 similar. However, in Clathrus cibarius the arms of the net are four or five times 

 as broad as those of Clathrus gracilis. While intermediate specimens may occur, 

 we have never seen them and all the specimens at London and Paris are very 

 distinct. Besides there is a geographical difference. Clathrus cibarius is the 

 New Zealand species, Clathrus gracilis the Australian. Of the many specimens 

 we have seen not a single Clathrus gracilis from New Zealand and but one Cla- 

 thrus cibarius from Australia. The strongest point, however, that would indi- 

 cate to us that the two species are distinct is the structure of the net work. In 

 Clathrus cibarius it consists of a single, large tube (see Plate 91, fig. 8). In 

 Clathrus gracilis it shows from two to four united tubes (see Plate 91, fig. 6). 



CLATHRUS CIBARIUS (Plate 91). Clathrus cibarius of New 

 Zealand is a very similar plant to the preceding, but much larger with 

 broad arms to the net work. The width of the flattened arms is a cen- 

 timeter or more. The plant was described by Tulasne in 1844 from 

 specimens in alcohol, collected by Raoul in New Zealand, and now 

 preserved at the Museum of Paris. It was said to have been eaten by 

 the natives, hence the name, cibarius. The plant is known in Europe 

 only from alcoholic specimens (which have the arms much wrinkled) 

 iand from pressed specimens (Plate 91, fig. 7) where the arms are 

 flattened. The natural shape of a section of the arm is unknown, I 

 think. A photograph of a fresh specimen is very much desired. As 

 we do not have such photographs we give (Plate 91) a reproduction 

 from a dried specimen, which at the best will give but a crude idea of 

 jthe plant. Clathrus cibarius is the type of the genus Ileodictyon (see 



5 The genus Ileodictyon, proposed by Tulasne, differs from Clathrus proper in having 

 .larger meshes to the net work, and v the original species) in having the branches of the net 

 ,"ormed of a single hollow tube. In the species under consideration, Clathrus gracilis, this 

 ':ube has partitions, being composed in fact of two to four tubes. There are several species de- 

 pcribed from dried specimens where the structure of the branches is unknown, and we feel it 

 .simplifies matters to consider Ileodictyon as a section of Clathrus. In some of Prof. Fischer's 

 vorks, he takes this view of it ; in others, holds the genus Ileodictyon distinct. We believe 



hat the genus Ileodictyon is a good genus and that it differs from Clathrus in having tubular 

 irms, while Clathrus proper has arms composed of large cells not tubular. We can not apply 

 'his distinction, however, to much of the material on which our knowledge is now based. 



6 Some species of Clathrus C. pusillus; have the lower branches sub-columnal, forming 

 |longated meshes. 



295 



