SECT. m. &TRALIUM. 271 



stituted soft filaments about the thickness of a bristle 

 closely interlaced. They anastomose in all directions, 

 in long or short meshes, and their upper free ex- 

 tremities form groups of projections which bristle the 

 exterior surface of the pulpy mass. 



When that mass is about to form spores, all the 

 asperities on its surface are withdrawn and replaced 

 by a bright yellow network of irregularly interlaced 

 filaments, which constitutes an envelope to the interior 

 spore-forming part, consisting of a white central 

 liquid or plasma containing an innumerable multitude 

 of colourless granules. Both of these parts are formed 

 at the expense of the filaments which are decomposed, 

 the yellow granules are absorbed in the envelope, while 

 the colourless granules retire with the gelatinous 

 matter towards the centre to constitute the plasma, 

 which is the fruit-producing part. Transparent glo- 

 bular cells containing nuclei are generated simul- 

 taneously in every point of the plasma, round each of 

 which a portion of the granular matter is consolidated ; 

 it takes a dark purple colour and constitutes a spore, 

 myriads of which, fine as dust, are thus generated. 

 The whole of the plasma is consumed in the spores, 

 except a very small quantity, which forms the threads 

 found mixed with the spore dust. According to M. de 

 Bary the complete development of the .ZEthalium, from 

 the instant it appears above the tan in a hothouse 

 of high temperature to the maturity of the spores, 

 is accomplished in about fifteen hours. The rapidity 

 of growth of this fungus is therefore astonishing. Mr, 

 Berkeley mentions that a mass of it two feet long, formed 

 of many confluent individuals, was formed upon a piece 

 of iron that had been red-hot twelve hours before a 

 proof among many others of the meteoric nature of 

 these fungi, the atmosphere affording them a sufficient 

 supply of food. 



