the Genus Cor dy ceps. 21 
27. Cordyceps bicephala, Berk., Decades of Fungi, no. 617, 
in Hook. Journ. Bot., vol. viii, p. 278 (1856); Sacc., Syll. ii, 
no. 5029. (Plate II, Fig. 16.) 
Solitary ; stem 5 cm. long, 1 mm. thick, equal, even, slightly 
curved at the base, very minutely pulverulent under a lens, 
brown, paler upwards, forked into two equal branches at 1 cm. 
from the apex, each branch terminated by a pale brown, 
elliptical, perfectly even, minutely pulverulent head measuring 
3x2 mm. ; asci cylindrical, narrowed at the base into a long, 
slender pedicel, apex capitate, 8-spored ; spores arranged in 
a parallel fascicle in the ascus, hyaline, linear, slightly wavy 
when free, multiseptate, 70x1 ^ ; component cells about 3 n 
long, not observed to break up at the septa. 
Panurd, Rio Negro, S. America (Spruce). 
Type specimen in Herb. Kew., examined. 
This curious species, of which I have seen a single specimen 
only, is almost intermediate between Cordyceps and Xylaria , 
the latter of which it approaches in substance. The clavate 
tip of the inner membrane of the ascus, and the filiform 
sporidia, indicate an affinity with the more noble species of 
Cordyceps (Berk., 1. c.). 
As stated by Berkeley, the present species closely resembles 
superficially certain species of Xylaria , section Xylodactyla ; 
nevertheless it is a genuine Cordyceps. The perithecia are 
somewhat crowded, and completely immersed in the stroma ; 
hence the surface of the head is perfectly smooth and even 
when dry, the mouths of the perithecia showing as minute 
depressions when moist. It is not probable that the apical 
forking of the stem is a constant specific feature, as in other 
species the branching is often very erratic. Unfortunately no 
mention is made of its habitat. 
28 . Cordyceps velutipes, Mass. (n. sp.). Solitary, or more 
frequently gregarious, springing from the under surface of the 
cervical region of a caterpillar ; every part ochraceous-brown 
when dry ; stem simple or forked, 2-4 cm. long, 3-4 mm. 
thick, usually crooked, lower portion densely villose, becoming 
