CL. XXIV.] 43. SPATHULARIA FLAVIDA. 



461 



VIII. Proper Fungi. 

 43, 



Spathularia flavida, Pers. 

 Leistenschwamm, Nees. 



In our fir woods, seldom among hard woods, this fungus 

 is observed, in the end of summer, and in harvest. It grows 

 on the fohage of the fir, and on other fallen leaves, com- 

 monly surrounded by moss. The whole fungus is commonly 

 only two inches, at most a little finger in length. The stem 

 has its base thick, like a tuber : it is of a straw-yellow co- 

 lour, smooth, about the size of a writing quill. Its length is 

 somewhat more than an inch. Internally it is sometimes hol- 

 low when it is old : commonly it consists of a double sub- 

 stance, an exterior fibrous part, and an interior cellular. It 

 carries a compressed pileus, of a yellow or reddish-yellow co- 

 lour, which runs downwards on the side of the stem, and has 

 the shape of a spade ; at most an inch long and broad, it is 

 smooth all round, but frequently crenated or notched on the 

 margin. It consists of two united hymenia, which internally 

 contain a fine, white cellular texture. At a more advanced 

 age these hymenia separate from each other : the pileus ap- 

 pears then to be inflated, and internally full of soft fibres. 

 From the stem, branchy wrinkles are extended through the 

 cap, v>^hich have been regarded by many as veins. In the 

 hymenium we observe, by the microscope, fine pellucid, club- 

 shaped sporidia, with intervening sap-tubes. In the former 

 lie five double-ringed spora?, exactly in the same manner as 

 in Geoglossum vir'ide (Tab. I. Fig. 34.), with which this 

 fungus is found in company. During warm sunshine these 

 sporae give out dust like a fine shining cloud, and the plant 

 becomes, by this m^eans, like Peziza, a bladder fungus ; 

 {Fungus Utrinus, Nees, p. 9A3.) 



