helotium. 255 



Not examined. 



The above varieties, established by Tliillips, are in- 

 distinguishable in the dry condition, and cannot be con- 

 sidered more than mere forms, which depend to a very great 

 extent on a knowledge of the host-plant for their identifica- 

 tion. Numerous other forms of the present, and other species 

 have been established by Continental mycologists, the prin- 

 cipal feature in most instances being the host on which the 

 fungus happens to be growing. This condition of things 

 has been largely developed and expanded by those who have 

 made it their business to issue dried specimens at so much 

 per 100 specimens, the ultimate object being not so much 

 in the interests of science as that of the individual. 



Helotium herbarum. Fries, Summa Veg. Scand., 

 p. 356; Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 166; "Renin., Krypt.-Flora, 

 Disc, p. 778 ; Sacc, Syll., viii., n. 883. 



Gregarious, sessile, or with a very short stem, at first 

 turbinate and closed, then expanding until plane or slightly 

 convex, firm, glabrous, white, or the disc sometimes more 

 or less yellow ; 1-3 mm. broad ; hypothecium and excipulum 

 minutely parenchymatous, cortical cells irregularly polygonal, 

 .5-7 ix diameter ; asci narrowly clavate, apex narrowed, 

 pedicel slender, 8-spored ; spores irregularly and obliquely 

 2-seriate, hyaline, smooth, narrowly elliptical, ends rather 

 blunt, usually slightly curved, often 3-4-guttulate, con- 

 tinuous at first, then 1-septate, 10-16 x 2* 6-3* 5 jx; para- 

 physes hyaline, slender, becoming thickened up to 3 fx broad 

 at the tip. 



Peziza herbarum, Pers., Disp. Meth. Fung., p. 72. 



On stems of various herbaceous plants lying in damp 

 places. 



Distinguished from allied white species by the large spores 

 being 1-septate at maturity. Eehm says the spores become 

 2- rarely 4-septate. 



Specimens examined in Cooke, Fung. Brit., ed. ii., n. 391, 

 and Eehm s Ascom., n. 12. 



Helotium repandum. Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 161; 

 Sacc, Syll., viii., n. 919. 



Ascophore shortly stipitate, plane, repand, thin, pale yellow, 



