ALDEIDGEA — THELEPHOEA. 103 



ALDEIDGEA. Mass. (hot. gen.) (figs. 20, 21, p. 97.) 



Eesiipinate, effused, fleshy, subgelatinous when growing, 

 cartilaginous or rigid and collapsed when dry ; hymenium 

 smooth, even; basidia tetrasporous ; spores continnous, 

 coloured, smooth. 



Allied to Goniophora in the large coloured spores, but dis- 

 tinguished by the subgelatinous consistency when growing. 



Named after Miss Emily Aldridge, a Sussex mycologist. 



Aldridgea gelatinosa. Mass. (figs. 20, 21, p. 97.) 

 Broadly effused, rather fleshy, subgelatinous, pallid, be- 

 coming collapsed, rigid, and purple-brown when dry, margin 

 determinate; spores broadly elliptical, obliquely apiculate, 

 olive, smooth, 10 X 6-7 fj.. 



On sawdust. Extending for several inches, the irregu- 

 larities of the hymenium being due to the substratum. 



THELEPHOEA. Ehrh. (emended), (figs. 23, 24, p. 97.) 



Mesopod or dimidiate with the hymenium inferior, or 

 resupinate with the hymenium exposed to the light ; pileus 

 coriaceous, destitute of a distinct cuticle, usually fibrillose ; 

 hymenium even or generally rugulose ; basidia tetrasporous, 

 spores continuous, spherical, coloured, minutely warted or 

 echinulate. 



Thelephora, Ehrh., Crypt., p. 178; emended in Masses, 

 Monogr. Theleph. 



The genus as defined above contains a considerable number 

 of species scattered over the globe, characterised by the 

 loose, fibrillose texture of the pileus, the usually rugulose 

 hymenium, and the coloured, sub-globose, minutely- war ted 

 spores. Brown, with a vinous or purple tinge is the pre- 

 dominating colour. Many of the species are soft and pliant 

 when growing, but never gelatinous. 



* Growing erect, stipitate or sessile, frequently deeply cut or 

 laciniate. 



Thelephora anthocephala. Fr. 

 Eusty-brown, inodorous, villose, cut into wedge-shaped 



