KupFER: STUDIES ON URNULA AND GEOPYXIS 139 
The genus Geopyxis was, as Rehm says, originated before 
Urnula. Persoon established it as a subgenus of Pesiza about 
1822.* As TI understand his arrangement (which is somewhat ob- 
scure Owing to errors in the synopsis), Persoon included forty-three 
species under the group Geopyxis. Of these, five, G. carbonaria, 
G. micropus, G. bufonia, G. Catinus and G. verrucosa still remain 
in the genus as described by Rehm. A comparison, then, of one 
of these forms with Uynula Craterium should show in how far the 
latter is allied to Geopyxis and by what right Rehm has placed 
Schweinitz’ plant in this genus. For the purpose of this com- 
parison G. carbonaria was chosen. 
We have then to consider, by a study of external structure 
and internal anatomy, the relationships of these various fungi, 
Gropyxis carbonaria, Urnula Craterium, and Urnula terrestris, One 
other will come up for consideration. In 1891 Professor Under- 
wood discovered a new fungus in Austin, Texas, which was sent 
to Professor Peck for identification. Peck described this in the 
forty-sixth report of the state botanist as Urnula Geaster. A 
doubt suggested by Professor Underwood as to the correctness of 
this generic reference was the direct occasion of this study, which 
Was carried on under his guidance. 
1. Geopyxis carbonaria (Alb. & Schw.) ¢ is a small, fleshy 
fungus yellowish in color, and, at the most, 2 cm. in diameter. 
It is short-stalked, the stalks being 1-1.5 mm. long and 1-2 mm. 
wide. It is well figured in Cooke’s Mycographia p/. 74, /. 284. 
An examination of the internal anatomy of G. carbonaria ( pl. 8, f. 
7) shows it to be a true member of the Pezizaceae and of Geopyxis 
according to Durand. The excipulum is entirely pseudoparenchy- 
matous, the asci form a uniform layer, the stem is short and ex- 
ternally even—all of which points correspond to Durand’s synopsis 
of this family and genus. In this Geopyxis the hypothecium is 
not particularly differentiated from the excipulum except by the 
smaller size of the cells. At the limiting border of the excipulum 
there are thicker walled cells, slightly darker in color. The cells 
of the excipulum average 14 # in diameter ; those of the hypothe- 
cium, 9. The asci are about 170 4 long and 7-8 » wide. The 
Spores are 10-11 4 long and 3-4 » wide. 
* Mycol. Europaea, 1: 224-242. 
} Conspectus Fungorum in Lusatiae sup. 314. ~/. 5. f. 2. 1805. 
