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ON THE GENERA DIPLOCYSTIS AND BROOMEIA. 
By I. B. Pole Evans, M.A., D.Sc, F.L.S., and Averil M. 
BOTTOMLEY, B.A. 
(With Plates XIX-XXIII.) 
The genus Dijdocystis was founded by Berkeley and Curtis in 1867 to 
describe a peculiar gasteromycetous fungus collected in the island of Cuba 
by Charles Wright. 
Hitherto it has been regarded as monotypic and has only been recorded 
from Cuba, Bahamas, and the West Indies. The fungus is known as Diplo- 
cystis Wrightii, Berk, and Curt. 
Some beautiful specimens of Bvplocystis have recently been sent to us 
from Portuguese East Africa, and as it is the first recorded occurrence of 
this interesting genus from Africa, it is made the subject of the present 
note. 
A single specimen was, in the first instance, forwarded for identification 
by Mr. T. R. Sim, of Pietermaritzburg, who had received it from the Rev. 
H. A. Junod, of Louren90 Marques. The latter gentleman very shortly 
afterwards forwarded further specimens to Pretoria, and stated that — " The 
natives call it ' Pole da mangapfi ' — viz. the tobacco of the hawk — because, 
they say, it appears at the same time as the hawk, which is said to remain 
hidden during the winter to appear at the rainy season." Mr. Junod also 
remarked that " it is found generally in old fields and gardens not cultivated 
the preceding year." 
Our examination of these specimens has revealed the fact that the African 
material is not identical with that from Cuba. We propose, therefore, to 
describe it as D. Junod ii, no v. spec. 
Diplocystis Junodii, Pole Evans and Bottomley, nov. spec. 
Dense gregaria ; massa fungina formae irregularis, 2-6 cm. lata x 2-7 cm. 
longa, usque 8-60 individua amplectens ; exoperidio pateriformi, margine 
definito erecto et leniter incurvato ; endoperidio subgloboso, sessili, scabro et 
subtiliter floccoso, griseo vel umbrino ; peristomio conico, elevato-prominente, 
fimbriata brunneo, circulo pallescente cincto ; capillitio laxo, pallide brunneo, 
