2 A Neiv British Fungus. 



superior esculent qualities, that it seems worthy of an especial 

 notice in the Intellectual Obseever. 



Most of our readers are acquainted with the little tufts of 

 white, cylindrical bodies, which occur in profusion on our close- 

 shaved lawns in autumn, looking like little bundles of wax 

 tapers. They belong* to Clavaria vermicularis, one of the 

 simplest forms of the genus Clavaria, which contains a large 

 number of esculent species, amongst which the little candles, 

 though small, are not to be despised when dressed in little 

 faggots, like bundles of asparagus. Other species of the genus 

 are simple and club-shaped, others branched, and some to such 

 a degree that they look like little shrubs divested of their 

 leaves. Some are even, and some much wrinkled ; and, though 

 a few are slightly compressed, they never assume the form of 

 foliaceous expansions, though a neighbouring genus, once con- 

 founded with it, but distinguished by its more leathery con- 

 sistence, departs from the cylindrical type. They exhibit the 

 most various hues, as white, golden yellow, rose, amethyst, 

 grey, orange, with many intermediate tints. 



The genus, Spa/rassis, the name of which is derived from 

 cTTrapdrTco, " I tear or lacerate," with the fleshy consistence of 

 Clavaria and similar esculent characters, has flattened lamince, 

 which are in every part covered with the fructifying surface, or 

 hymenium. In Thelephora and the closely allied genus, 

 Stereum, in which the divisions are often much flattened and 

 expanded, there is not only a leathery consistence, but 

 the hymenium is definite, being confined to the lower 

 surface. 



In Sparassis the lobes are extremely large and numerous, 

 so as to form a rounded and sometimes hemispherical mass, 

 occasionally a foot or more in diameter, with a height of several 

 inches- which, together with a delicate waxy appearance, ren- 

 der the species most striking objects. The habit is somewhat 

 similar to that of Millepora 'reticulata, an analogy which is not 

 without example amongst other Lathophytesj in which, as 

 Fries remarks, we find forms which remind us of such genera as 

 Agaricue, 'Hold us, Efydwum, Qla/owria, Peziza, etc. Similar re- 

 liances occur amongBt the galls on leaves produced by 

 insecti , which accordingly have been confounded by superficial 

 in since bhe principles of Fungology have been 

 • known, with true fungi. 

 Sparassis lammosa, which may be considered as the type of 

 the genus, has not yet occurred in this country. It is found on 

 old oak BtumpSj or amongst oak chips, and acquires the size of 

 a large cauliflower. When pure in colour and young it is ex- 

 ■■' limn, but it soon acquires a yellow tinge and disagreeable 

 II, and is then wholly unfit for food. Tho laminaa are very 



