SPORIDESMIUM. 



[ 608 ] 



SPOROCYBE. 



matrix and among the filaments. Such 

 characters are totally out of date in the pre- 

 sent state of science, and simply serve as 

 indices of points requiring further investiga- 

 tion. 



BIBL. See under the heads of the classes 

 of Cryptogamic Plants. 



SPORIDESMIUM. A genus of Toru- 

 lacei (Coniomycetous 

 Fungi), growing upon 

 bark, wood, &c. The 

 character of the spores 

 appears to vary in 

 different species ; 



sometimes they are Sporidesmium paradoxum. 



simply septate, some- Spore8 sessile on the matrix. 



times cellular (fig. Magnified 200 diameters. 



Fig. 695. 



BIBL. Berk, and Broome, Ann. Nat. Hist. 

 2nd ser. v. p. 459 ; xiii. p. 460 ; Fries, Summa 

 Veg. p. 506; Corda, Icones Fung. i. ii. &c.; 

 Fresenius, Beitr. z~ Mycol. Heft 2. p. 50. 



SPOROCADUS, Corda. See HENDER- 



SONIA. 



SPOROCHISMA, Berk, and Br. A ge- 

 nus of Torulacei (Coniomycetous Fungi), 

 containing one species, S. mirabile, forming 

 a black velvety stratum on rotten beech- 

 wood. 



BIBL. Berk, and Broome, Ann. Nat. Hist. 

 2nd ser. v. p. 461 ; Gardeners' Chronicle, 

 1847. p. 540; Fresenius, Beitr. z. Mycol. 

 Heft 2. pi. 6. 



SPOROCHNACE.E. A family of Fu- 

 coidese. Olive-coloured, inarticulate sea- 

 weeds, whose oosporanges and trichospo- 

 ranges are attached to external, jointed 

 filaments, which are either free or compacted 

 together into knob-like or warty masses. 



Synopsis of British Genera. 

 * Spores attached to pencilled filaments is- 

 suing from the branches (Arthrocladiese). 



I. DESMARESTIA. Frond solid or flat, 

 dichotomously branched. 



II. ARTHROCLADIA. Frond traversed 

 by a jointed tube, filiform, nodose. 



III. STILOPHORA. Frond filiform, tubu- 

 lar or solid, branched ; oosporanges and tri- 

 chosporanges arising from necklace-shaped 

 filaments collected in wart-like groups upon 

 the frond. 



** Spores produced in knob-like receptacles 

 composed of whorled filaments compacted 

 together (Sporochnea?). 



IV. SPOROCHNUS. Receptacles lateral, 

 on short peduncles. 



V. CARPOMITRA. Receptacles terminal, 

 at the tips of the branches. 



SPOROCHNUS, Ag. A genus of Spo- 

 rochnaceae (Fucoid Algae), containing one 

 British species, S.pedunculatus, having a fili- 

 form, solid, cellular, main axis (containing a 

 central cord of dense tissue), bearing long 

 slender branches, clothed at intervals, ar- 

 ranged in a somewhat pinnate manner, with 

 elliptical fertile ramules, consisting of an 

 axis densely covered with whorled horizontal 

 branching filaments, bearing ovoid oospo- 

 ranges, and terminating in a deciduous pencil 

 of byssoid filaments. Main stem 6 to 8" 

 long, olive-brown, changing to yellow-green 

 on exposure. 



BIBL. Harvey, Brit. Mar. Alg. p. 25. 

 pi. 5 A ; Greville, Alg. Brit. pi. 6 ; Thuret, 

 Ann. des Sc. nat. 3 ser. xiv. p. 238. 



SPOROCYBE, Fries. A genus of Dema- 

 tiei (?) (Hyphomycetous Fungi), growing on 

 dead sticks, decaying stems, &c., forming 

 usually a blackish stratum. Several British 

 species are recorded. They have a rigid, 

 septate, simple or branched peduncle, end- 

 ing with a capitate head clothed with spores 

 (figs. 696, 697). This genus is synony- 



Fig. 696. 



Fig. 697. 





Sporocybe bulbosa. 



Fig. 696. Stratum upon a stick. Nat. size. 



Fig. 697. Two fertile peduncles, crowned with heads of 

 spores. Magnified 100 diameters. 



mous with Periconia, Corda. Periconia, 

 Tode, is an obscure form, not well under- 

 stood. 



BIBL. Berk. Brit. Flor. ii. pt. 2. p. 333, 

 Ann. Nat. Hist. vi. p. 433. pi. 13 ; Fries, 

 Summa Veget. p. 467, Syst. Mycol. iii. p. 

 340. 



