244 FUNGI. 



its living green parts. Of these may be named Mcidium uriicce 

 and Peronospora urticce, as well as two species described by 

 Desmazieres as Fusisporium urticce and ftcptoria urtica. Hence 

 it will be seen how large a number of fungi may attach them- 

 selves to one herbaceous plant, sometimes whilst living, but most 

 extensively when dead. This is by no means a solitary instance, 

 but a type of what takes place in many others. If, on the other 

 hand, we select such a tree as the common lime, we shall find 

 that the leaves, twigs, branches, and wood bear, according to 

 M. Westendorp,* no less than seventy-four species of fungi, and 

 of these eleven occur on the leaves. The spruce fir, according to 

 the same anthority, nourishes one hundred and fourteen species, 

 and the oak not less than two hundred. 



It is curious to note how fungi are parasitic upon each other 

 in some instances, as in that of Hypomyces, characteristic of the 

 genus, in which sphteriaceous fungi make hosts of dead Lactarii, 

 &c. We have already alluded to Nyctalis, growing on decayed 

 Hussul&i to Boletus parasiticus, flourishing on old Scleroderma, 

 and to Agaricus Loveianus, on the pileus of Agaricus nebularis. 

 To these we may add Torrubia ophioglossoides and T. capitata, 

 which flourish on decaying Elaphomyces, Stilbum tomenlosum on 

 old Trichia, Peziza Glavariarum on dead Clavaria, and many 

 others, the mere enumeration of which would scarcely prove 

 interesting. A very curious little parasite was found by Messrs. 

 Berkeley and Broome, and named by them Hypocrea inclusa, 

 which makes itself a home in the interior of truffles. Mucors 

 and moulds flourish 011 dead and decaying Agarics, and other 

 fleshy forms, in great luxuriance and profusion. Mucor ramosus 

 is common on Boletus luridus, and Syzygites megalocarpus on 

 Agarics, as well as Acrostalagmus cinnabarinus. A very curious 

 little parasite, Echinobotryum atrum, occurs like minute nodules 

 on the flocci of black moulds. Bactridium Helvella usurps the 

 fructifying disc of species of Peziza. A small Sphinctrina is 

 found both in Britain and the United States on old Polypori. 

 In Spharia nigerrima, Nectria episplicBria, and two or three 



* Westendorp, " Les Cryptogams apres leurs stations naturelles/' 1865. 



