CRYPTOGA?v/rrA ALG^. 1007 



decay'd mofs, and on the trunks of trees in 

 damp fiiady places, in the autumn and vvinter- 

 feafons. 

 It is a whitiih grey friable powder, confiftino- of 

 fmall fhapelcis particles, for the mod part loofe 

 and incoherent. — After rains, or when damp, 

 it is of a glaucus or blue-grey color. 



la^ea 14. BYSSUS pulverulento cruftacea albiffima. Sp. 

 pi. 1639. (Dillen. mufc. 2. /. i./. 2.) 



White-wafli ByfTus. Anglis. 



It covers old Hypnums and Lichens^ which grow 

 upon rocks and the trunks of trees. 



It invefts the fubftances upon which it grows 

 with a thin, wide, fmooth, hard, uneven, brit- 

 tle cruft, making them appear exadlly as if 

 they had been white-wafh'd. 



At feme feafons, this cruit produces on its fur- 

 face unequal lumps or tubercles of a yellowifli 

 or dirty V/hite farinaceous fubftance. 



Thefe, v/e appr-hend, may be term'd the frudi- 

 fications. 



This ipecies is certainly more nearly related to 

 the genus of Lichen than that oiByJfus. But we 

 had the plealure of examining Billemus's, own 

 fpecimens, and therefore are confident that our 

 defcription is juilly apply'd. 



FUNGI, 



