White : The Nidulariaceae of North America 267 



such different types have been found in specimens from one locality 

 from the short, strigose, sessile or bulbose form to the slender, 

 almost smooth, elongated form — that there can be no question as 

 to their being in reality but one species. Tulasne does not mention 

 Schweinitz's Nidularia stercorea, and his species Cyathiis Lcsiicurii 

 from New Orleans was presumably described without knowledge 

 of the preceding species. His variety Cyatlins Lesiieiirii \2S . minor 

 from Carolina, closely resembles small forms of Cyathia stercorea. 



Cyathia (?) sp. 



Peridia cup-shaped, clustered, 4-6 mm. high, 3-5 mm. wide 

 at the top, 2 mm. at the base ; outer surface lightish brown, 

 nearly sriiooth, or minutely fibrous ; inner surface smooth, very 

 dark brown, almost black, shiny ; mouth entire or slightly 

 ragged, but not fimbriate ; sporangioles black, shiny, angular 

 beneath, rounded above, i mm. in diameter, showing no trace of 

 any attachment, numerous; spores 20—30/^ long, 18— 24/i wide, 

 thick-walled, granular within, hyaline. {PL 16. f. 16, 21, 22.^ 



No mention as to habitat. 



The specimens on which the above description is based were 



sent to Mr. Ellis by Professor E. Bethel (no. 9) from Denver, 



Colorado, and were named Cyathus vcrnicosus. They consist 



of four or five groups of from two to five plants in each. The 



peridial wall is triple and the structure of the sporangioles is 



much as in Cyathia, the spores being also intermixed with thick 



horny filaments as in that genus ; but there is no trace whatever of 



any attachment either on the under surface of the sporangioles or 



on the inner surface of the peridium. The specimens are all 



mature, so it is impossible to know what the nature of the young 



peridia was, but the sporangioles are still in the peridia, filling them 



completely, even with the margin quite unlike anything seen 



belonging to the genus Cyathia. It is very possible that a genus 



standing in the same relation to Cyathia, as Nidula does to Crjici- 



buhini, will eventually have to be established to accommodate these 



forms, but the material and data are not sufficient to justify taking 



such a step at present. 



Species inquirenda 



Cyathus niveo-tomentosus P. Henn. Hedwigia, 37: 274. 1898 



Sparsis : peridio obconico-cyathiformi, crassiusculo papyraceo 



primo operculo albo tecto, sessili vel substipitato, extus niveo 



