418 FUNGUS-FLORA. 



Peziza violacea, Persoon, Syn. Fung., p. 639 ; Phil., Brit. 

 Disc, p. 81. 



. On the ground, especially where fires have been, or on 

 charcoal. Persoon says it also occurs on rotten trunks. 



Specimen named by Fries examined ; also specimens 

 determined by Berkeley. 



Very beautiful specimens of this species were found on 

 burnt ground in Wyre Forest, near Worcester, by Mr. 

 Carleton Eea. When quite young the fungus is almost 

 black, afterwards becoming umber-brown, with just a tinge 

 of violet ; as the fungus loses moisture the violet colour 

 becomes more decided ; but apparently always toned down 

 with brown. When fully developed, large specimens spread 

 out close to the ground, surface more or less wavy or 

 nodulose, and the margin irregular. 



Humaria exidiiformis. Sacc, Syll., n. 468. 



Gregarious or almost confluent, fleshy, sessile, but fixed 

 by a narrowed base, orbicular, becoming almost plane, up to 

 4 mm. across, entirely dingy purple, glabrous; disc rugulose, 

 the wrinkles often anastomosing ; excipulum parenchy- 

 matous, cells polygonal, 12—18 /x diameter; asci cylindrical, 

 apex somewhat truncate, 8-spored ; spores broadly elliptical, 

 hyaline, continuous, uniseriate, smooth, often 2-guttulate, 

 15-17 X 10 fx ; paraphyses filiform, apex slightly clavate, 

 hyaline. 



Peziza exidiiformis, B. & Br., Ann. Nat. Hist., n. 1480 ; 

 Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 81. 



On silver sand and very rotten wood. 



Type specimen examined. 



The present species is not a good Humaria nor Peziza, the 

 base is too much narrowed; when moist it is rather 

 gelatinous, and contracts very much, and becomes rigid 

 when dry, almost suggesting Ombrophila. Examination of 

 living specimens will alone settle this point satisfactorily. 



Humaria hepatica. Sacc, Syll., viii. n. 554. 

 Gregarious, sessile, fleshy and watery when fresh, con- 

 tracted and concave when dry ; globose and closed at first, 

 then expanding until saucer-shaped or almost plane, dingy 

 purplish-brown 2-4 mm. across ; cortex parenchymatous, 

 cells irregularly polygonal, 12-25 /x across, running out in 



