PEZIZALES 



55 



1. Ascocarps free, solitary or cespitose. 2. 

 Ascocarps affixed to the ends of the branches of a cord -like stroma. 



Family 9. Cordieritidaceae.* 



2. Ascocarps fleshy or waxy, rarely gelatinous ; ends of paraphyses free. 3. 

 Ascocarps leathery, horny or cartilaginous ; ends of paraphyses united 



into an epithecium. 7. 



3. Peridium and hypothecium without distinct line of junction. 4. 

 Peridium forming a more or less differentiated membrane. 6. 



4. Ascomata open and convex from the beginning ; peridium wanting or 



poorly developed. Family i. Pyronemaceae.f 



Ascomata concave at first ; peridium fleshy. 5. 



5. Asci forming a uniform stratum at maturity. Family 2. Pezizaceae. 

 Asci projected from the ascoma at maturity. Family 3. Ascobolaceae. 



6 Peridium formed of elongate parallel pseudo-parenchyma with clear and 



thin-walled cells. Family 4. Helotiaceae. 



Peridium firm, of roundish or angular pseudo-parenchyma, with mostly 



thick and dark-colored cell walls. Family 5. Mollisiaceae. 



7. Peridium wanting or poorly developed. Family 6. Celidiaceae. 

 Peridium well developed, mostly leathery or horny. 8. 



8. Ascocarps free from the beginning, dish or plate-shaped, never enclosed 



by a membrane. Family 7. Patellariaceae. 



Ascocarps at first embedded in the matrix, then erumpent, urceolate or 



cup-shaped, at first often enclosed in a membrane which disappears 



later. Family 8. Cenangiaceae. 



Family 2 Pezizaceae. \ 



Our genera of Pezizaceae which contain many of the more con- 

 spicuous of the fleshy cup fungi may be separated as follows : 



I. Spores globose. 2. 



Spores ellipsoid, blunt or more rarely acute. 4. 



* A single species of Cordieritis is found in the Southern States. 



f Of the four genera composing this family there are with us only four 

 species of Pyronema. 



| Since there is no available English synopsis of the genera of Pezizales 

 and as the American species have hitherto been neglected and need careful 

 systematic study in the field and laboratory, we give rather more space to 

 them than to some groups in which manuals are accessible. It is hoped 

 that more attention will thus be called toward this inviting group. 



