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61
NEW AND KAEE BRITISH HYMEXOMYCETOUS FUNGI.
By WoRTHixGTON G. Smith, Esq., F.L.S.
(Plates LXXXIX. and XC.)
During the abnormal summer and autumn of last year (1868) a
large number of new British species of hymenomycetous Fungi ap-
peared in various parts of the country : of these several were noticed
in this Journal at the time, while others remain at present undescribed.
I select for illustration and description the following four species :
Lactarius controversus, Fe)-s. ; stem stout, swollen, one or two
inches long, sometimes eccentric, pruinose at tlie top, never marked
with pits or depressions ; gills decurrent with an obscure tooth ; pileus
fleshy, compact, rigid, convex, then depressed and subinfundibuliform,
at first dry, but after rain viscid in all its parts, margin at first invo-
lute and villous ; stem and pileus more or less covered with blood-red
spots and smears ; flesh very firm, like L. piperatus, Fr., milk white,
imchangeable, plentiful. Odour fiiint, but pleasant, taste exceedingly
acrid.
This noble addition to our Cryptogamic Flora was found by Dr.
D. M. ^I'Cullough at and near Abergavenny, and forwarded through
Dr. Bull, of Hereford, to tiie Exhibition of Fungi at the Eoyal Hor-
ticultural Society last autumn ; the specimens sent to Loudon grew
under Poplars, about a mile and a half from Abergavenny ; it also
grew in great luxuriance (again with Poplars) at Abergavenny, forming
a semicircle of some twenty feet in diameter. The specimens were
crowded together in great numbers, and several attained a diameter of
more than a foot ; the specimen selected for illustration was one of the
smallest, in order to get it on to the plate. In general appearance it
considerably resembles several other Lactam, as L. vellereus, Fr., and
L. insiilus, Fr., but it differs in many characters ; it is highly acrid,
and feels and looks soapy.
PoLYPORUs sanguinolentus, Fr.; nodulose, then confluent, effused,
soft, white, or cream-coloured, when touched becoming rosy brown ;
margin byssoid and fugitive ; pores small, subrotund, unequal, at
length torn.
This species, new to this country, I found growing in abundance on
the perpendicular sides of a disused sawpit in Mr. Hebb's yard, ]\Iild-
VOL. VIT. [march 1, 1869.] F
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