Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 12.djvu/440

374 opinion. The taste of the dried plant has nothing of a fungus-like flavour, but in its slight astringency agrees with many, almost tasteless, roots. The above history of the origin of the plant, from a piece of wrought wood, and its copious growth, must preclude all idea of its being any thing else than a parasitical fungus.

The specific character may thus be given:

, medullaris, teres ramosissima nivea; intùs cellulosa flavescens.

Fig. 1.A portion of the stem of Rhizomorpha medullaris.

2.Termination of a principal branch.

3.A transverse section of the stem magnified.

XXVII. A Cen-