346 INTRODUCTION TO CEYPTOGAMIC BOTANY. 



robolus is ejected far exceeds, in proportion, that which is 

 exhibited by the projection of a shell from the largest mortar. 

 Few objects are more attractive to the general observer than 

 Nidularicej-with. their little nest of egg-like sporangia. N. IcBvis 

 and striata are both pleasing, the one from the elegance of its 

 form, the other by its striated walls. The species themselves 

 are widely diffused ; but there are many species closely allied 

 to them, but especially to the latter, which flourish alone under 

 tropical suns. The principal differences, however, consist in 

 the fruit, for the external habit of many species differs 

 very slightly. Sphceroholus has not yet been found in the 

 tropics ; but its love of the warm, damp atmosphere of a hot- 

 house renders it very probable that it does exist in some of the 

 tropical forests, on decaying wood.* It occurs in the southern 

 hemisphere, in Chili. 



4. Phalloidei, Fr. 



Head more or less clavate or globose, often stipitate, 

 variously divided, composed of large cells with many inter- 

 vening lacunte, bursting through a volva consisting of jelly 

 inclosed between two heterogeneous strata. Hymenium 

 sinuous, convolute, variously situated, sometimes covering the 

 whole head, sometimes only particular parts of it, external or 

 internal, soon passing into mucilage, which drips out in drops 

 dark with the minute spores. 



875. The peculiar characteristic of this group is, that the 

 hymenium when mature deliquesces, which is precisely con- 

 trary to what takes jDlace in Trichogastres, to which tribe it is 

 otherwise closely allied. All of the species, I believe without 

 exception, are furnished with a thick volva, stiffened by a 

 dense gelatinous mass. In an early stage the stem is rudimen- 

 tary ; but as the hymenium, which is precisely that of Tricho- 

 gastres, except in its more watery consistence, approaches 

 maturity, the stem, which is full of deep pits or cavities, sud- 

 denly acquires an enormous development. These at first are 

 strongly compressed, but as the stem increases the cavities 



* In this, as in so many other instances, we are indebted to the 

 Messrs. Tulasne for a knowledge of the real structure. See Ann. d. Sc. 

 Nat., s6r. 3, vol. 1, p. 41. 



