THE HISTORY OF MYCOLOGY IN ESSEX. 227
of which it is perhaps only a variety, and often not to be dis-
tinguished from it; however, adepts and epicures will never
substitute the one for the other. This always partakes of the
same form as the Mushroom, but is generally of a firmer texture,
whiter and smoother, sometimes stained with blotches of
yellow, more particularly if touched or bruised. The young
lamellae are seldom of so bright a red as those of the true Mush-
rooms. It often grows very large; and I have no doubt but
the plant mentioned by Mr. Stackhouse to Dr. Withering of the
enormous size of 18 inches over the pileus, the stem as thick
as a man's wrist, and every part in proportion, was no other
than A. Georgii, as I have seen many equally large at Stapleford
Abbot, in Essex, where the people call them White-caps, laughing
at those cockneys who take them for Mushrooms. I have seen
persons from London gathering hampersfull of them for the
markets, where they are sold as Mushrooms. Their dry and
tough quality renders them unfit for the table in any shape,
though we do not know that they possess any poisonous quality.
Parkinson 137. 4. says "they are called St. George's mushrooms,
because they grow up about that time." (St. George's Day.)
TAB. CCCLXXVI.
Sphaeria carpina. [Diaporthe Betuli.]
Not uncommon on hornbeam in Hainault Forest, Essex.
I have seen the hard trunks of trees almost covered by it. The
sphaerules are often difficult to find under the hard bark; they
are somewhat compressed, often irregular, and at first rather
waxy; afterwards they become a black, brittle, carbonaceous-
like substance.
TAB. CCCLXXVIII.
(Fig. 13.)
Mucor quernea. [Ozoneum auricomum, the sterile mycelium
of Coprinus domesticus.]
We have only found this in the hollow of the great oak on
Hainault Forest called Fairlop, where it is very abundant. It
is composed of branched filaments with numerous ovate,
powdery heads in little bundles, mostly of a deep orange colour.
TAB. CCCXCI.
Clavaria minuta. [? Pistillaria micans.]
This pretty little Fungus was discovered, growing on the
bracteae of Dipsacus pilosus, by the Rev. R. B. Francis, F.L.S.,