M. C. COOKE ON NETTLE STEMS AND THEIR MICRO-FUNGI. i 



referring to the " Handbook," it will be observed that this Peziza 

 belongs to the section Mollisia, in which the cups are sessile, ex- 

 ternally naked, and of a soft texture. We recently received a 

 closely allied species on Aster stems from the United States, which 

 was figured and described in " Grevillea " (No. 1, p. 6, fig. 6) as 

 Peziza assimilis. In both these, and in some few others which 

 continental authors have associated together under the generic name 

 Calloria^ the substance is much more gelatinous than in the majority 

 of the species of Peziza. 



Two or three species of Peziza. found on these stems are charac- 

 terized by being hairy externally, and hence they belong to the 

 section Dasyscypha. The most common of these is a very pretty 

 little white fungus, covered outside with rather long white hairs. 

 The cups are sessile and minute, seldom open, except in quite wet 

 weather, and even then only partially so. But the most unsatis- 

 factory point in their history is that they always appear to be 

 barren. No author gives any account of the fruit of Peziza villosa^ 

 and yet all agree in retaining it as a species of Peziza, whereas the 

 strong presumption is in favour of its being a Cypliella, and unless 

 a perfect hymenium with asci and sporidia can be found it has no 

 title to be regarded any longer as a Peziza. Here is one point 

 which may be investigated and settled by any student who takes 

 advantage of this communication to commence the study of micro- 

 scopic fungi. 



Allied to this, but apparently much less common, is a woolly, 

 white Peziza, first discovered in Scotland by the late Dr. Greville, 

 and called by him Peziza piano 'Umhilicata. It is gregarious in its 

 habit, small and sessile, wholly white, becoming expanded, and quite 

 flat, with a little dimple in the centre. The hairs around the margin 

 of the cup are very regular, forming a delicate fringe. As it grows 

 old, it assumes a yellowish tint. Although in many points this 

 closely resembles the preceding, it will not be a difficult matter to 

 distinguish the one from the other, since this soon becomes ex- 

 panded, and has asci and sporidia, so that it is a true Peziza. A 

 common white- stalked Peziza, with a woolly exterior, may sometimes 

 be found on nettle stems, but must not be confounded with this. 

 It is Peziza virginea, and grows freely on all twigs that are covered 

 over with dead leaves, in damp spots. 



Another species belonging to the same section is Peziza sul- 

 phurea: This is also sessile, but much larger than the jjreceding ; 



