Order Hymemomycetes. Tribe Cupidati. 



Plate XLIV. 



PEZIZA COCCINEA, /ae^«^.. 



Carmine Peziza. 

 Series Lachnea.^ Sub-genus Sarcosypha.^ 



Gen. Char. Cup move or less concave, soon expanded, the disk naked. Name from Pezka, a word used by 

 Pliny to denote some fungus of this shape. 



Spec. CJtar. Peziza coccinea. Cup an inch or more broad, infundibuliform, within rich cai-mine colour ; 

 externally whitish, tomentose, with short adpressed down ; stem from a quarter of an inch to an inch high, tomen- 

 tose like the cup. 



Peziza coccinea. Fries, Berkeley, Ch-eville, Witlierimj. 

 ■ epidendra, Sowerhy. 



Hub. On decaying sticks, sometimes penetrating through the soil ; in woods. Spriug. 



However opinions may differ as to the beauty of Funguses in general, this plant in particular always 

 meets with admiration. The wliitish down on the exteriour is tlie remains of a veil in which Natui-e has 

 carefully enveloped one of her prettiest productions ; besides which, further to ensure the lovely carmine 

 liymenium from injury, the lips of each cup are not merely connivent in early youth, but meet closely ; so 

 that even if soil should at first cover the head of the plant, it will find its way through without a grain of 

 earth or atom of decaying vegetation defiling the interiour of the cup. ^'\'hen it comes to be expanded, the 

 colour is so pure and brilliant as to defy the limner's art, resembling that of Lobelia fulgens ; in age the 

 margins split, and sometimes turn back. The length of the stem depends on the site of the plant; it is 

 nearly obsolete when growing above ground, and much prolonged if it has any distance to push through in 

 seeking the surface ; however this may be, we have never found the root attached to any other substance 

 than decayed wood and sticks, not timber. In the districts of Kent aud Sussex, known as the Weald, and 

 .which are abundantly covered with copse woods, Peziza coccinea is often found; but there are many parts of 

 England where it is a perfect stranger : it will, however, be easily recognized by any discoverer ; no other 

 of the family possesses the same bright red tincture, except some very minute species, and the Peziza 

 uiirantia is very much larger and of an orange hue; not the slightest tinge of yellow enters into the 

 colouring of oui present subject; "Carmine" Peziza is exactly the suitable title. Under Peziza aurantia, 



' Prom \a.xvr), down. AVaxy, rarely fleshy, externally hairy or villous fi'om the persistent distinct veil. Cup 

 closed when young. 



- From a-ap^, flesh, aud axu^os, a ciq). Fleshy or carnoso-raembranaceoiis. Crust none. 



