Division IV (II)
Xylomacci.
Asci obsolete. Sporidia innate. 2435. Actinothyrium. Perithecium buckler-like, with radiating fibres covering the fusiform sporidia. 2436. Leptostroma. Perithecium uniform, without an orifice, but entirely separating and exposing a very thin disk. 2437. Xyloma. Black, corneous. Perithecia single, solitary and minute, or united and confluent, irregularly dehiscent. Observations. terrestrial; the imperfect kinds being inhabitants either of plants or of the dung of animals. Many are meteoric, flourishing most in "Jove tonante, densisque cadentibus imbris;" others are ephemeral; some exist for a month and more.
The Phalloideæ are generally very fætid, cold, and venomous; one species is accounted in China a vulnerary, and also a food, but of doubtful quality. The old physicians had some peculiar notions about their use in arthritis, &c. but they are not worth repeating. The Tuberaceæ have a peculiar smell, which is often grateful; their taste is irritating; their qualities esculent, nutritive, and aphrodisiacal. Class II. Pyrenomycetes. The affinity of this class is very complex, for which reason there is much difference of opinion among authors as to its limits. In fructification it approaches fungi of a higher degree of developement; on one hand resembling the Angiogastres, from which it is readily distinguished by its separate receptacle; on the other hand, the Cupulati, whose differences depend upon the definition of their perithecium. In point of vegetation it descends, first, to Sclerotiaceæ, which are entirely different, in the absence of an uterus and nucleus; secondly, to Perisporia, which have no distinct perithecium, and no asci; and thirdly, to several genera of Coniomycetes.
ORDER IX. 2438. Lasiobotrys. (See Notes.) FUNGI. 2439. Asteroma. Black, minute, epiphyllous. Receptacle radiate, filamentous, very adnate, at length tubercled here and there.
Class III. TRICHOSPERMI.
Uterus genuine, forming a receptacle. Sporidia intermixed with flocci. Division I. Lycoperdinei.
Uterus of a determinate figure, fleshy when young. Flocci copious. 2440. Onygena. Subglobose with a fibrous stipes. Peridium crustaceous, fragile, with interwoven fibres. Sporules naked, compactly clustered. 2441. Tulostoma. Globose stipitate. Involucrum none. Peridium opening by a bordered pore in the summit. Sporules scattered in it. 2442. Scleroderma. Sporangium globose or prolonged into a stipes. Peridium single, coriaceous, mostly warty, bursting at the apex or subdehiscent. Sporules collected into little contiguous distinct globules mixed with filaments. 2443. Lycoperdon. Sporangium globose. Peridium single, membranaceous, scaly, with warts or soft spines bursting irregularly at the apex, and containing a mass of sporules and filaments. 2444. Bovista. Sporangium globose. Peridium double; the outer one adnate, cracking, somewhat fugacious; inner one bursting at the apex, and containing a mass of filaments and pedicellated sporules. 2445. Geastrum. Globose sessile. Involucrum coriaceous, stellate. Peridium membranous. Sporules on stalks from the first.
Division II. Trichocisti.
Uterus regular, when young pulpy. Sporidia having numerous flocci scattered among them. 2446. Craterium. Peridium oblong, stipitate, operculate, containing a cellulose, filamentous, sporuliferous mass. 2447. Stemonitis. Cylindrical or subglobose. Peridium fugacious. Filaments forming a reticu ated mass, perforated by the stipes to which they are attached. Sporules intermixed. 2448. Cribraria. Globose stipitate. Peridium crumbling to pieces at the summit in cracks. 2449. Dictydium. Globose stipitate. Peridium crumbling to pieces entirely or for the most part. 2450. Arscyria. Mostly cylindrical. Peridium fugacious, except a small portion at the base. Filaments abundant, reticulated, fixed at the base. Sporules intermixed. 2451. Leangium. Minute subglobose. Peridium single, membranaceous, bursting into subregular, persistent, expanding segments. Filaments attached at the base and surrounding a columella. 2452, Trichia. Minute subglobose or irregular. Peridium single, membranaceous, bursting. Filaments involute attached at the base, and expanding elastically. 2453. Diderma. Minute subglobose. Peridium double; the outer one fragile and fugitive. Sporules mixed with a few filaments and surrounding a roundish columella. 2454. Physarum. Sporangium minute, mostly stipitate, subglobose. Peridium single, membranaceous, bursting and deciduous in distinct portions. Sporules mixed with a mass of filaments. 2455. Leocarpus. Minute. Peridium single, fragile, bursting, sessile or substipitate, containing a black mass of sporules mixed with a few filaments. Columella O. Division III. Fuliginoidei.
Uterus somewhat deformed, sessile, when young pulpy. Sporidia separated by flocci. 2456. Lycogala. Sessile globose or subirregular, pulpy when young. Peridium single, fragile, variously dehiscent. Sporules mixed with a few filaments. 2457. Spumaria. Form irregular, roundish, effused. Peridium soft, at length membranaceous, fragile. Sporules contained in the folds of branched, elongated, membranaceous, persistent processes.