64 ASCOMYCETES 



1. Ascomata clavate or subcapitate, continuous with the stipe. 2. 

 Ascomata flat ; decurrent on both sides of the stipe ; spores rod-like. 



Spathularia 

 Ascoma capitate or hollow-discoid, usually with a free margin. 5 



2. Spores one-celled, colorless. 3 

 Spores 2-many-celled, with cross septa. 4 



3. Light colored, usually yellowish or light brown ; ascomata sharply 



separated from the stipe. Mitrula 



Bright or dark colored ; ascomata not clearly separated from the stipe 



MiCROGLOSSUM 



4. Spores colorless. Leptoglossum 

 Spores brown. Geoglossum 



5. Spores ellipsoid. 6 

 Spores elongate-filiform. 7 



6. Gelatinous-gristly. Leotia 

 Waxy. CUDONIELLA 



7. Fleshy ; ascomata concave, hat-shaped, the margin free, incurved. 



CUDONIA 



^Yaxy ; ascomata discoid above, the margin adnata to the stipe. 



Vibrissea 



Of the above genera we have one species in Vibrissea, two each 

 in Oidonia, Cudoniella, and Spathularia, five in Leotia and 

 six in Mitrula {PL 4. f. ij). The other genera are larger and 

 may be divided into well marked sections. Geoglossiim is repre- 

 sented by ten species arranged in two sections : § Eiigeoglossum 

 with smooth stipes, containing five species, and § Trichoglossiim 

 with hairy or bristly stipes, also containing five species. 



Leptoglossioii also contains two sections : § Euleptoglossiim- 

 blackish, containing two species, and § XantJioglossinn, yellow- 

 ish or yellowish-brown, containing only L. luteitni. 



Microglossiim is likewise formed of two sections : § Eiwiicro- 

 glossiun, containing the dark colored (olive-green) species, M. 

 viride, and § Geojnitruta, containing the seven bright colored 

 (yellowish or reddish) species. These were all united to Mitrula 

 by Saccardo. 



Of this family only Leotia lubi'ica is known to be edible. We 

 have frequently seen this species growing in wet woods in Con- 

 necticut so abundant that several quarts could be gathered from 

 an area of a few square rods. 



