14 MICROSCOPIC FUNGI. 



cups, are irregularly distributed over tlie spots, not 

 crowded together as in the last species ; and the 

 teeth are large, white, and distinct. The spores 

 are at first orange, but at length become brownish. 

 This species may be found in spring, as late as 

 June, most commonly on the dog-violet, but also 

 on other species of Viola. 



It is not a very desirable occupation to search a 

 bed of nettles, and turn over the individual leaves 

 to look for minute fungi. A very pretty JEcidium 

 is nevertheless far from uncommon in such a habitat. 

 Fortunately it occurs very often on the petioles of 

 the leaves and on the stem, distorting them very 

 much ; and in such situations flourishing, apparently, 

 more vigorously than when occupying the under- 

 surface of the leaves (plate I. fig. 10). In the latter 

 situation the clusters of peridia are small, seldom 

 exceeding a dozen in a spot, but several spots may 

 be found on the same leaf. On the stem they are 

 clustered around for upwards of an inch in length, 

 and their bright orange colour in such a situation 

 renders them very conspicuous objects. The peridia 

 are always closely packed together upon a thickened 

 base, and offer but slight variations from the forms 

 already enumerated, save that they widen slightly 

 at the mouth, so as to become nearly campanulate. 

 The spores are orange, and veiy profuse. 



During the summer of 1863 we noticed, for the 

 first time, a very pretty little species of cluster-cup 

 (jfikidium) on the wood sanicle (SaniculaEurojHjea) in 



