280 



the description and from Cooke's plate, it is apparent that 

 C. olivaceo-alba closely resembles C. radicata, the chief point 

 of difference being the black base of the stem of the former. 

 In May, 1915, we found specimens of C. radicata in the 

 Sydney district with whitish bases to the stems and growing 

 near these, plants with the abrupt black bases of C. olivaceo- ' 

 alba. Obviously both were the same species, and both showed 

 the large spores — in this case 12 to 13'8 x 10'4 ja — character- 

 istic of C. radicata and of C. olivaceo-alba. Apparently, 

 therefore, the black-based plants are only a form of C. 

 radicata not yet breeding true, and so not entitled to be 

 established as a variety or species. We consider that a variety 

 is a departure from the type due to some innate change and 

 breeding true, whilst a form is a departure from type not 

 necessarily breeding true, sometimes being merely a recog- 

 nizable or an extreme variation in a variable species, some- 

 times being the result merely of environment, as in de- 

 pauperate examples. On these grounds we sink C. olivaceo- 

 alba to the level of a synonym of C. radicata. 



SECT. II. VESTIPEDES. 



120. Collybia, velutipes,Yr. Cooke: loc. cit., No. 85 (Vict.). 

 — On a fallen log near Wauchope, N.S. Wales, in February, 

 1917, a number of dried specimens of a Collybia were found 

 almost identical with dried specimens of C . vela ti pes kindly 

 forwarded by Miss E. M. Wakefield from England. They 

 revived perfectly on being placed in water, but were not then 

 viscid ; the edge of the cap was also tuberculo-striate, which 

 is not mentioned in the description of C. velvtipes. Spores 

 7 to, usually, 8'5 x 5"2 /x ; of the English specimens 8 to 

 8'5 x 3-4 jui. 



121. Collybia confluens, Pers. Massee: Brit. Fung. 

 Flora, iii., p. 130. — Plants collected by E. J. Semmens (No. 

 40) amongst pine needles u-t Craigie, near Ararat, Victoria, 

 in June, 1917, seem indistinguishable from dried English 

 specimens of this species received from Miss E. M. Wakefield. 

 Spores 5 to 7x3 /x. 



122. Collybia ingrata, Schum. Massee: Brit. Fung. 

 Flora, iii., p. 131. — Pileus up to 2^ inches across, convex, 

 gibbous, the thin edge rather upturned, edge frayed, some- 

 what striate, pale to dark brown, sometimes chestnut. Gills 

 adnate, moderately to very crowded, rather thick, edges finely 

 serrate, livid or pallid brown. Stem up to 3 inches long, 

 wavy, slender, clad with a dense velvetty-greyish bloom, stem 

 brown when this is rubbei off, when moist brownish with a 

 white bloom, cartilaginous, rather stringy. Spores with one 



