70 



NATUEAL HISTORY BULLETIN 



margin begins to turn back but failing to split the plants from 

 necessity become angular commonly 3-sided. When mature the 

 margin of the cup spreads on the ground so that the stem which 

 was at first conspicuous is entirely obscured the plants at ma- 

 turity attaining a size of 6 to 8 cm. ; the color becomes darker as 

 the plants mature. The characters mentioned in this description 

 seem to be constant in the specimens studied. The plants were 

 found in the basement of the main college building at Mt. Pleas- 

 ant, the attention of the writer having been first called to them 

 by Mr. Will Handy, a student at the college. 



Peziza badia Pers., Obs. Myc. 2 : 78. 1799. 

 Plate 14, f. ii and 15, f . i. 



Aleuria badia Gill., Discom. 43. 1879. 



Plants gregarious, sessile, at first globose becoming expanded 

 but remaining cup-shaped, margin at first turned inward becom- 

 ing straight, color internally dark brown, externally lighter col- 

 ored and pruinose; 2 to 10 cm. in diameter; asci cylindrical, 8- 

 spored; spores elliptical, minutely rough, 15 to 18 by 8/*; para- 

 physes slender, clavate. 



On the ground in woods, rather common. 



Small plants, not exceeding 2 cm. in diameter, have often been 

 collected on moist banks in woods, these plants being of a trans- 

 lucent reddish-brown color. One or two collections have been 

 made of specimens which are as large as 6 to 8 cm. in diameter 

 and dull dark-brown. Whether these two forms are the same 

 seems doubtful. The habitat of the two forms is different the 

 small plants occuring on damp naked soil while the larger speci- 

 mens were found on rich soil in deep woods. 



Peziza brunneo-atra Desm., Ann. Sci. Nat. II. 6 : 244. 1836. 



Plate 14, f . m. 



Plants scattered, sessile, entirely plane with a little depres- 

 sion in the center of the disc ; fleshy, fragile, smooth, very dark- 

 oolored, brownish-black, 1 to 2 cm. in diameter; asci cylindrical, 

 8-spored; spores elliptical, minutely rough, 20 by 10^ ; paraphy- 

 ses clavate. 



On damp soil in moist shady places. 



