HARPER: TWO REMARKABLE DISCOMYCETES 85 
naria var. macrocalyx (Icon. Select. pl. 40, f. 2). The spores also are 
nearer in size to those of Peziza coronaria than to those of P. vesicu- 
losa. Saccardo’s Sylloge (8: 81. 1889) gives the spores of P. 
coronaria 8-9 X 15-18u. The spores of Pustularia gigantea are 
often 8 X 14, though Rehm gives 5-6 X 10-124. The descrip- 
tions of Peziza coronaria do not, however, give the internal struc- 
ture of the unopened apothecia. It is supposed that the young 
plants have no evident mouths. The species of Sepultaria also 
are said to be closed at first and to open irregularly. Yet what 
is known of the structure of the cup fungi suggests that in all 
these forms the hymenium has been overgrown by surrounding 
tissue, and the location of the mouth should be determinable 
even in young unopened apothecia. Pustularia gigantea is very 
enlightening on this point and the unopened apothecia of species 
like Peziza coronaria should be carefully examined to see if there is 
not evidence of the location of the mouth. Itis uncertain whether 
Pustularia gigantea should be associated with Peziza coronaria or 
placed in a group by itself. Further observation may bring to 
light other more closely related forms. 
The most striking feature of Pustularia gigantea is the degree 
in which the walls of the apothecia are infolded. It is very com- 
mon among the discomycetes for the hymenium to be covered by 
the surrounding tissue during the formative period. In small 
species of Peziza the ascoma usually remains circular, but in large 
plants the walls of the cup are flattened and folded together from 
the sides. This is also true of species of Helvella which have a 
cup-shaped or saddle-shaped ascoma. The saddle-shaped ascoma 
in the Helvella elastica group is folded and flattened in the same 
way when young and later opens at the ends instead of in the 
middle giving it the characteristic saddle-shaped form. 
Bucholtz has shown that in many of the Tuberaceae the hy- 
menium is formed on the outside of the ascocarp and then over- 
grown by surrounding tissue until it is entirely enclosed in cavities 
of the fruit body. Pustularia gigantea has many characters in com- 
mon with the Tuberaceae. The closed chambers, subterranean 
habit and loose connection with the soil are all suggestive of the 
Tuberaceae. We need only mention the Hysteriaceae to show 
how common the inrolling of the disk and consequent covering of 
the hymenium is among the discomycetes and their allies. The 
