478 Durand : Classification of the Fleshy Pezizineae 



In the structure of the excipulum, however, we find more con- 

 clusive evidence of the Pezizaceous relationship of the Sarcoscy- 

 phas and Macropodias. It will be noted from the descriptions of 

 the sterile layers of 5. occidentalism S. floccosa, S. coccinea and 

 M. pubida given above, that all have at least the outer layer of the 

 excipulum pseudo-parenchymatous, while in the first and last spe- 

 cies named the sterile parts are wholly so. 



It should also be borne in mind in this connection, that tissue 

 composed of stout interwoven hyphae, closely resembling that of 

 5. coccinea, is not uncommon in undoubted Pezizaceous species. 

 In several species of Otidea, for example, a large portion of the 

 ental part of the excipulum consists of this tissue. Otidea onotica 

 and Discina StepJicnsoniana each have a stratum of hyphal tissue 

 lying between layers of large vesiculose cells. Even in Pcrdza badia 

 a central zone of the excipulum is made up of stout, many -septate 

 hyphae not very far removed in character from those found in 

 Sarcoscyplia coccinea. 



It may be objected that the Sarcoscyphas are more or less 

 leathery in their texture while the great majority of the Pezizaceae 

 are fleshy and brittle. Certain of the species of Otidea, however, 

 approach 5. coccinea in texture. There seems to be little reason, 

 therefore, for removing the species of Sarcoscyplia from their long 

 recognized position to associate them with forms with which they 

 have no evident close relationship in either external form or in- 

 ternal structure. 



LACHNEA. PI. 2;, Fig. 2 



The Lachneas are sessile, usually bright-colored, fleshy Dis- 

 comycetes, which are clothed externally with brown pili. The 

 members of this genus may stand as typical of the family in nearly 

 every way. The consistency is purely fleshy ; the asci are large 

 and cylindrical, opening by a lid at the apex ; the paraphyses are 

 well developed with clavate apices, and the sporidia are large. 



In the structure of their sterile tissues, also, the species con- 

 form fully to the family type. The following species have been 

 examined : L. scutulata, L. hemispJierica, L. setosa, L. umbrata and 

 L. albo-spadicea. These forms exhibit so little variation that one, 

 Lachnea scutulata, will be described as typical of all. The hypo- 



