109 
If species inhabiting herbaceous stems may be included why 
not atrata, atro-cinerea, Lycopodet spores 8-9 by 15-25 p 
polygoni sp. 7-9 by 2 m lycopincola, spr. 7-10 by 2-2'5 p 
coeruleus spr. 10 p long etc., etc. 
If this method is adopted all these and others might be 
brought under the convenient wing of the common cinerea. 
Seeing that this common species 1s practically spread over the 
globe we must allow it scope for variation, but we must at the 
same time, have a limit. If we could place under cznerea all 
Mullisiz, with a cinereous, whitish, or pallid, concave, plane, 
undulate, or contorted hymenium, margin even or crisped ; spores 
oblong or oblong-fusiform, hyaline, continuous, and eguttulate, 
with a limit of dimensions to 6-10 pw long by 2-3 mw thick; and 
paraphyses rather stout and rigid 3 w thick with shining oily look- 
ing contents and no other kind, we should arrive at something 
definite. Some authors state that the base is furnished with brown 
hyphe. These are often seen in the common species, but this 
factor, in itself is not a distinctive character, as brown hyphz also 
occur in other species. Belonidium pullum, for instance. 
A thorough revision of the genus is out of the question. An 
examination of the various exsiccati, even if one had the oppor- 
tunity, and the perseverance necessary to perform the task, seems 
hardly likely to produce a satisfactory result. It is impossible to 
sufficiently revive the dried specimens so as to accurately 
determine the essential characters. 
At the same time it is very desirable to have a more exact 
classification of this genus: and a more definite limit fixed to the 
various species; care being taken on the one hand not to 
confound species which are different, and on the other, not to 
multiply species by failure to observe the differences of the same 
species which may be due only to variations of light, moisture 
situation, age, etc. This can only be done by careful records of 
fresh material with thoroughly accurate descriptions and 
drawings, with special regard to the difficulties which have now 
become so painfully apparent. 
