28 
POPULAR SCtEftCti REVIEW. 
Very few years ago farmers generally believed that the 
cluster-cups of the berberry were productive of mildew in corn 
grown near them ; this opinion even received the support of 
►Sir J. Banks, but no fungi can be much more distinct than 
those found on corn crops and this species on the leaves of 
the berberry. In this instance the cups are much elongated, 
and cylindrical, the clusters vary much in size, and the spots 
on the upper surface of the leaf are reddish, bright, and 
distinct. The teeth are white and brittle, and the orange spores 
copious (plate II. figs. 12 — 14). 
There are scarcely any of the epiphyllous fungi forming 
equally handsome or interesting objects for low powers of the 
microscope, than the genus to which attention has been 
directed in this paper ; and they possess the advantage of being 
readily found, for that locality must be poor indeed which 
cannot furnish six species during the year. We have found half 
of the number of described species within little more than 
walking distance of the metropolis, within a period of little 
more than three months, and should be glad to hear of the 
occurrence of any of the rest. 
We have three species of fungi very similar in many respects 
to the foregoing, but differing in others to such an extent as 
to justify their association under a different genus and name. 
The hawthorn is a bush familiar to all who love the “ merry 
month of May,” but it may be that its parasite has been 
unnoticed by thousands. If, for the future, our readers will bear 
this subject in their minds when they stand beneath a hawthorn 
hedge, they may become acquainted with clusters of singular 
brown pustules on the leaves, petioles, and fruit well worthy 
of more minute examination (plate II. fig. 15). They scarcely 
claim the name of cups, and their lacerated and fringed mar- 
gins rather resemble the pappus crowning the fruits of some 
composite plants than the cups of JEcidium. The peridia 
are very long, and split down throughout their length into 
threadlike filaments of attached cells ; these gradually fall 
away and break up into their component cells till but short 
portions remain attached to the base of the peridia. These 
cells are elongated and marked on the surface with waved 
lines, forming in themselves pretty objects for a high power 
of the microscope (fig. 19). If the teeth of JEcidium resemble 
the peristome of some mosses, such as Splachnum, the threads 
of this species of Rccstelia, except in not being twisted, some- 
what resemble the peristomes of other mosses of the genus 
Tortilla. The spores in this species are less conspicuous, 
being of a light brown, and the whole plant, from its modest 
hue, may be readily passed over without attracting attention 
unless occurring in abundance. 
