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Show 68 T!Je Hijlory of P L A N '"f S. plants generally grow together, and in that cafe they re_femble a hoar frofr, upon the fubfiance they grow on. When examined by the ~1crofcope, the furface appears granulated; and, when cut, the branches are fou.nd, like t~10fe of the othe~·s, to be made up of filaments affixed to an axis, and te_rmi~ated by little globular ~odte~. We have this fpecies plentiful in Ja.n~ary on old .fitcks m ~o~nfey-wood. Mtchelt mentions it under the name of Puccm1a ramofa, btfurcata, mmima. The other fpecies of lfa~ire will eafily be difiinguilhed. by th~ir names : they are, 1. The fimple, fcarlet lfana. 2. The fimple, fnow-wh1te Ifana. 3· The ramofe, white, larger lfaria. 4· The brown, ramofe lfaria. 5· The very fmall, black, ra-mofe Haria. F U N G 1 Clafs the Third. Genus the Fourteenth. PH Y SA RUM. PH Y SA RUM is a genus of Fungi, confifiing of veficles or hollow bodies refembling inflated bladders of a roundilh or oval figure, and fometimes feflile, fometimes affixed to pedicles, in which hollow bodies are contained the parts of fruCtification. The Phyfara produce difl:inCl and feparate male and female flowers. The male flowers are fingle antherre, adhering to fhort filaments, and growing on the internal furface of the capfule. The female flowers are feeds very minute and round, affixed to placentre, formed of multitudes of fibres, and often furrounded with a gelatinous matter. The capfules are always clofed in all parts, and, when the feeds are to be difcharged, they burft irregularly: they contain only a fingle cavity, and are formed of a fingle membrane, and that ufually but a very thin one. In fame the placenta is fmall, and lies loofe in the cavity ; in others it is larger, and fills it almoft entirely up ~ith the appearance of a reticulated fubfiance. Micheli divides the fpecies of Phyfara mto three genera, under the names of Mucor, Lycogala, and Mucilage; but the charaCters are in general the fame in all, and the difl:inttions principally owing to the different fiate of the plants. 1. P hyfarum capitulo rotundo, pediculo capillari. The round-headed P hyfarum, with a" very jlender pedicle. This is a very co~mon fpecies, and confl:itutes one of the mofl: frequent kinds of what we call moul~mefs. It confifi~ of a ~ne capillary pedicle, of a greyilh colour, and perfeCtly pellucid; on t~e fumm1t of whtch fiands the capfule or head, which is roun~, colourlefs, and p:lluctd at. firft, but after a little time greeniih, and more opake, and tn fine black .. Thts b~rfts 1rre~ularly ~hen quite mature, and exhibits the appearance ~f a multJ~ude of feeds mtxed with a great number of filaments: but it opened Wtth the pomt of launcet under the double microfcope, before it is quite fo mature. The feeds are feen. to be affixed to a placenta, which afterwards feparates into t?efe filat?~nts, and on the mfide.s of the capfule are alfo feen evident globules of fa~ ma. Thts IS very com~on on ammal an~ ve~etabl.e fubfian~es, kept damp, and decaymg. H~ok has. figured It ~uch e?l.ar_ged I? h1s Mtcrographta; Malpighi calls it, Muced_ o capttulo d1a.phano, ?emde vt~1d1 et ~tgro ; and Micheli, Mucor vulgaris capitulo luctdo per matuntatem mgro, -pedtculo gnfeo. 2. Phyfarum capitulo ovato, pediculo hrevi. The oval-headed, jhort-Jlalked P hyfarum. This is a ~ery pretty fpecies, . though extreamly fmall. It rifes from the {ubfiance it grows on, With a very fhort capillary pedicle ; on the fummit of which ftands a head or capfule of an oblong oval figure. The whole plant is fnow-white in colour · it is not more than a quarte f · h · h · h d , 1 · {i r o an me m etg t, an the capfule makes two thirds of t 1 lat mea ufr~. When mature, it opens irregularly, and is found to contain a .p acenta o tt's own figure , a1 m o1n1. entt•r e Iy fill'm g 1· t up, ai?d very tH·,I.C kly fpread over 'Ibe Hi)lory of P L A N T S. ·6g over with feeds. The antherre ~re eafily feen on the inner furface, with a good microfcope. r , · • This fpecies grows on rotten wood, and is very common with us. Micheli calls it, Mucilago minima clavre effigie lattei coloris pediculo donata. 3· P hyfarum feJ!ile fohrotundum. Tbe roundijh P hyfarum, without a pedicle. This fpecies arifes from a broad bafe, and extends itfelf gradually in a regular man ... ner, in form of a globular, or nearly globular body ; when full grown, it is of the fize of a fmall pea; and, feveral plants of it ufually growing together, they often refemble a flat cake of a fungous matter, with a botryoide furface; in this cafe, however, where feparated, each is found diil:inet, and inclofed in it's own membrane, tho' injured, in it's figure, by the preffure of the others. The colour of this fpecies is grey; it's fubfiance foft and tender, and, if opened) it is found to contain a placenta of a reticulated texture, filling up every part of it ; this is formed of interwoven tibres, and contains a great number of feeds in it's interfiices ; but the whole is furrounded, and it's fpaces all filled with a glutinous matter, which runs out in drops, on wounding it, and carries the feeds away with it. This fpecies is common with us on the moift tlumps of trees. Mi~heli calls it, Lycogala grileum majus. The other fpecies of Phyfarum will eafily be dill:inguilhed by their names: they are, 1. The fmall, white, round-headed, long-fialked Phyfarum. 2. The little, whitetufted Phyfarum, without any pedicle. 3· The cream-coloured, feffile Phyfarum. 4· The copper-coloured, feffile, pifiform Phyfarum. 5· The fcarlet Phyfarum, of the fize of a millet-feed. 6. The fmall, feffile, kidney-fhaped, yellow Phyfarum. 7· The red, hemifpheric, pediculated Phyfarum. 8. The Bat-headed Phyfamm. 9· The white, crufiaceous, large, and irregularly fhaped Phyfarum. 10. The grey, finall, globular, pediculated Phyfarum. 1 1. The white, crufiaceous, feffile Phyfarum. 12. The greenilh, crufiaceous, feffile Phyfarum ; and 1 3· The yellowilh, crufiaceous, feffile Phyfarum. Mofi of thefe latter fpecies have been defcribed by Dillenius and others, under the improper name of Byffi. FUN G L Clafs the Third. Genus the Fourteenth. MONILIA. M 0 NIL I A is a genus of Fungi, confifiing of a pedicle {upporting a number of naked feeds, arranged together in feries like the beads of a necklace. The Monilia all produce difiinet male and female flowers. The male flowers are antherre,. pla:ed. on lhort fiamina, on the fum mit of the pedicle, or near the fummit, fur.roundm~ 1t m form of a fine powder. The female flowers we are able to dillingmlh !1othmg of, except _the feeds, .which are arranged together in (eries, by means of a glutmous ~atter, and ~and fomettmes clofe to one another, fometimes more diftinet. In fame. fpectes thefe chams of feeds are laid along both fides of the fummit of the fial~{S; m o.thers .they. are wound rou~d in cl~fters, and form a kind of tuberous knobs, ~htch. term mate 1t ; m others they nf~ at diil:ances from the very fum mit of the · pedtcle! ~n form of.fingers; and, finally, m ot~ers they rife more numerous in this form, and J0111 near thetr bafes, fo as to form a kmd of globule, with the extremities of feveral of the chains of feeds hanging down from them. Thefe clufters of the feries of feeds are what Micheli to_ok for placen.tre; he has alfo divided this genus into two, under the names of Botrytls and Afpergtllus ; but the differences, this divifion are founded upon, are rather fpecific than generical; we have therefore arranged them all together under one genus. T :-:~. Monili~~ |