42 FUNGI. 



strings, slightly attached to each other,* and breaking off at the 

 summit at the same time- that they continue to be produced at 

 the base, so that for some time there is a successive production 

 of spores. The spermogonia are not always readily detected, as 

 they are much smaller than the peridia, and sometimes precede 

 them. The spermatia are expelled from the lacerated and 

 fringed apices, and are very minute and colourless. In Mcestelia 

 the peridia are large, growing in company, and splitting longi- 

 tudinally in many cases, or by a lacerated mouth. In most in- 

 stances, the spores are brownish, but in a splendid species from 

 North America (JRoestelia auraniiaca, Peck), recently charac- 

 terized, they are of a bright orange. .If OErsted is correct in 

 his observations, which await confirmation, these species are all 

 related to species of Podisoma as a secondary form of fruit, t 

 In the Hastelia of the pear-tree, as well as in that of the moun- 

 tain ash, the spermogonia will be found either in separate tufts 

 on discoloured spots, or associated with the JRcestelia. In Peri- 

 dermium there is very little structural difference from Moestelia, 

 and the species are all found on coniferous trees. In ISndo- 

 pliyllum, the peridia are immersed in the succulent substance of 

 the matrix ; whilst in Graplriola, there is a tougher and withal 

 double peridium, the inner of which form a tuft of erect threads 

 resembling a small brush. J 



Htphomycetbs. — The predominant feature in the structure of 

 this order has already been intimated to consist in the develop- 

 ment of the vegetative system under the form of simple or 

 branched threads, on which the fruit is generated. The common 

 name of mould is applied to them perhaps more generally than 

 to other groups, although the term is too vague, and has been 

 too vaguely applied to be of much service in giving an idea of 

 the characteristics of this order. Leaving the smaller groups, 

 and confining ourselves to the Dematiei and the Mucedines, we 



* Corda, "Icones Fungorum," vol. iii. fig. 45. 



t Cooke, " On Podisoma," in " Quekett Journal," vol. ii. p. 255. 



{ It may be a question whether Graphiola is not more nearly allied to 

 Trichocoma (Jungh Fl. Crypt. Javse, p. 10, f. 7) than to the genera with which 

 it is usually associated. — M. J. B. 



