382 Rev. M.J. Berkeley on three species of Fossil Mould. 



either from Nees von Esenbcck's figure or from Dr. Greville's 

 plate of P. glaucum and P. sparsum, both of which are incorrect, 

 the true structure of the genus being that which has been re- 

 peatedly figured by Corda, and which exactly accords with the 

 pretty species before us, as it does with Aspergillus penicillatus, 

 Grev. 



Plate XI. fig. 1. Penicillium curtipes, magnified 600 diameters. 

 Brachycladium, n. g. 



Receptaculum stipitiforme e fibris intricatis constipatum sur- 

 sum attenuatum sive laceratum, ramis brevibus fertilibus simpli- 

 cibus hie illic sparsis, sporis ellipticis sessilibus vel brevissime 

 pedicellatis. 



2. Brachycladium Thomasinum, n. s. Coll. Thorn, no. 535. 

 Receptacle stem-like, cylindrical, sometimes fasciculate, pointed 



and attenuated above or irregularly lacerated, consisting of closely 

 packed intricate threads, the apices of some of which become free 

 and project from the stem generally at a more or less acute an- 

 gle, and almost always simple, inarticulate, bearing from four to 

 five elliptic spores, which are either sessile or furnished with an 

 extremely short peduncle. 



This species was, in the original communication to the Ber- 

 lin Academy, referred to the genus Botrytis ; but taking that 

 genus in the widest sense, it cannot comprise the present species, 

 distinguished by its compound stem. Its nearest ally perhaps 

 is the genus Corethropis, figured by Corda in the first plate of his 

 ' Prachtflora/ which is to Penicillium what the present genus is to 

 Botrytis. I have an American mould which bears a similar rela- 

 tion to Aspergillus. The fossil flora therefore in this case fills 

 up a type which at present has not been discovered on the globe 

 as now constituted. 



Plate XI. fig. 2. a. Portions of Brachycladium Thomasinum, magnified 

 600 diameters, from a drawing by Dr. Thomas ; b. portions more highly mag- 

 nified, to show the structure of the receptacle and its apex. 



3. Streptothrioc spiralis, n. s. Floccis omnibus spiraliter con- 

 volutis ramosis fasciculatis ; sporis ellipticis. Coll. Thom. no. 

 438. 



Consisting of long tufted but somewhat diffuse fibres which 

 are branched once or twice, more or less spirally undulated, and 

 bearing elliptic spores either immediately or at the tips of ex- 

 tremely short ramuli. 



This curious mould, which, from the loss of the fructifying 

 specimen, I am not enabled to examine more closely, has so 

 much resemblance to Streptothrix, that I have little hesitation in 

 placing it provisionally at least in that genus. Streblocaulium 



