Page:Coloured Figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms.djvu/21

 TAB. XXI.

the above name I was favoured with excellent specimens of the fungus here delineated, by the Rev. Mr. Relhan, August 10, 1795, who found them in Madingley wood near Cambridge; nor has this species, to my knowledge, been before observed. The specimens changed but little in drying, except that they, not unfortunately, lost their original disagreeable garlic-like odour.

TAB. XXII.

Huds. 644. With. v. 3. 463.

have seen this curious plant in many places. The Rev. Mr. Abbot obligingly sent it from Lord Ossory's fir plantation at Ampthill, gathered in October 1792. We had an opportunity of seeing it in a rather remarkable situation in May 1793, growing in the Duke of Portland's hot-house at Bulstrode, on the edge of the tub which contained that rare East Indian aquatic the Nymphæa Nelumbo. This was at the same time a damp and very hot station, the stoves being at that time heated to an unusual degree.

When young these fungi are nearly covered with a white cotton-like substance, spreading down their sides, and attaching them firmly to each other and to whatever they grow upon. This web may possibly assist in the expansion of the yellow outer case when it throws out the white globular part, which it does to the distance of six or eight inches, or more, making a slight, but distinct, cracking sound. At the same time this outer case bursts into five or seven rays or segments, the case immediately within pushing itself forth, and adhering to the ball; which when fallen is an empty transparent vesicle, with the inner case attached to its bottom, and a hole through that case, by which probably the seeds are discharged. On dissecting the ball previous to its being thrown out, we find it full of a whitish substance. When weak the plant only forces the ball to the points of its rays, often drying with it in that position.