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bright fulvous-brown. Various collections might thus quite 

 well be classified as separate species. Then, with the excep- 

 tion of Baron von Mueller — who only incidentally collected 

 fungi — none of the authors quoted had, apparently, access 

 to fresh material, and so were dependent on the notes (if 

 any) of the collectors. In the paper in which P. Gardneri 

 is recorded by Berkeley and Broome for Queensland, it is 

 in fact definitely stated that all the species recorded by them 

 were "unaccompanied by notes or sketches of any kind." In 

 this paper there is no reference, as suggested by Cooke, to 

 the fungus growing on "petioles and half-putrid fronds of 

 palms," which obviously is taken by Cooke from the original 

 description of the species from Brazil. There is no reference 

 even to the species being phosphorescent. Bailey (Compr. 

 Cat. of Q'land Plants, p. 775), evidently on higher authority, 

 states that Panus incandescens = Agaricus Gardneri, "the 

 large luminous fungus." As regards P. nidiformis, though 

 the original description does not mention any phosphorescence, 

 Berkeley in speaking of P. lampas later says it is allied to 

 P. nidiformis, which is also phosphorescent. The gills in the 

 latter are described as "oehraceous," which term might per- 

 haps be applied to old specimens of our common species. In 

 the original description of P. ill iiminans 'there seems no reason 

 for it to have been classed by Cooke in the section with an 

 annulate veil. 



Taking everything together, therefore, we feel quite 

 justified in this apparent "lumping," and a reference to the 

 original descriptions will show how imperfect these are for 

 purposes of separation. We have written to Kew to ask 

 whether specimens of Pleurotus lampas, phosphor ens, 

 illuminans, and candescens and Panus incandescens exist 

 there, and whether the dried plants could be distinguished 

 from each other. Through the Director of the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, Miss E. M. Wakefield has replied as follows: — 

 "Specimens exist only of Pleurotus lampas, P. candescens, 

 and Panus incandescens. To a person familiar with the fresh 

 plants it might be possible to make a comparison, but the 

 dried specimens alone are practically useless. The habit of 

 all is very similar, but the spores found vary slightly in size, 

 as follows: — P. lampas (type), 6 to 7 x 3 to 4 jx ; P. candes- 

 cens (type), 7 to 7'5x4 /x; (Melbourne specimen) 7. to 10x5 

 to 6 /*; Panus incandescens (type), 7 x 5 /x. These are in all 

 cases the spores obtained by scraping the gills, so that young 

 ones would probably be included amongst them." This reply 

 strongly supports our attitude. As regards P. nidiformis, 

 Miss Wakefield, in answer to a later enquiry, said that no 

 specimens of this species were in Kew Herbarium. 



