180 



The Fungi of Wiltshire. 



in mines, as most brilliant. Other persons have attributed this 

 faculty to the mycelium of our common Truffle. 



As many of the terms employed by writers on Mycology are 

 peculiar, I will give at the end of the accompanying list an expla- 

 nation of the more unusual of them. 



The following is the systematic arrangement of Mr. Berkeley in 

 the outlines of British Fungology. 



Hymenomycetes. Spores naked. Hymenium free, mostly 

 naked, or if inclosed at first, soon ex- 

 posed. 



Gasteromycetes. Spores naked. Hymenium inclosed in 

 a peridium, seldom ruptured before 

 maturity. 



Coniomycetes. Spores naked, mostly terminal, seated 



on inconspicuous threads, free, or inclo- 

 sed in a perithecium. 



Hyphomycetes. Spores naked, variously seated on con- 

 spicuous threads, which are rarely com- 

 pacted, mostly small in proportion to 

 the threads. 



^Ascomycetes. Asci formed from the fertile cells of 



an hymenium. 



Physomycetes. Fertile cells seated on threads not 



compacted into an hymenium. 



In these Families the name is derived from the predominance of 

 the organ, which is the distinguishing feature in each. 



Thus Hymenomycetes from Humen, Gr., a membrane, and Mutes, 

 Gr., a mushroom. The fruit being formed on a membrane, which 

 is either naked from the first, or soon becomes so if originally 

 inclosed in a volva. 



Gasteromycetes from Gaster, Gr., the belly, where the fruit is 

 produced in a closed receptacle. 



