MYCOLOGICAL BULLETIN 



No. 36 



IV. A. KcUennan, Ph. D., Ohio State University 



Columbus. Oliio, June 15, 1905 



3RARY 

 ,nEW YORK 

 BOTANICAL 

 GARDEN. 



The Illustrations in this Number. — We have to thank Dr. O. E. 

 Fi.-cher for the photo of the elegant Peziza shown in Fig. 11.5. The etch- 

 ing in Fig I If) represents a saprophytic species of fungus found on old 

 stems of the prickl_v lettuce. A common and ahundant fungus, Cli-toc'-y-be 

 mul'-ti-ceps, is shown in Figure 117. On the last page we give an illus- 

 tration of Pho-li-o'-ta u-nic'-o-lor, also found near Columbus, a species 

 perhaps not rare in this country. 



The Group Names. — Since plants are almost infinitely numerous one 

 ran readily see the necessity of grouping or classifying them, and there- 

 fore names of groups are a necessary evil, or rather a scientific necessity. 

 Neither is it simply for convenience that botanists establish groups with 

 appropriate names, but the verity of the groups and their proper arrange- 

 mert exhibit plant affinities; and only by discerning these genetic rela- 

 tionships can we have any proper idea of the evolution of the plant king- 

 dom, or conception of the imif^y and order in Nature that modern science 

 has elucidated. A casual notice will show that there has been "order in 

 this madness," for all the Ordinal names end with the syllables a'-les. 

 In the next No. of the Bulletin the Families constituting the Order 

 . l-^ar-i-ea'-les will be given, and then it will be seen that the terminal 

 syllables ee-ae sugge.st a family name. Po-ly-po-ra'-ce-ac is a case in point. 



The Pezizas Again.— Some illustrations of these Cup-fungi have 

 already been given; for example, Pe-zi'-za re-tic-u-la'-ta was shown in 

 Figs. 20 and 21 (pp. 14 and 15) ; Sar-co-scy'-pha oc-ci-den-ta'-le and Sar- 

 co-scy'-pha floc-co'-sa were illustrated in Figs. 36 and 37 (pp. 30 and 31) ; 

 Bul-ga'-ri-a in-qui'-nans was given in Fig. 44 (p. 40) ; and Pe-zi'-za 

 ba'-di-a in Fig. fit (p. GO). These and related forms are readily referable 

 to the family Pe-zi-za'-ce-ae. They are charming fungi — some of them 

 extremely delicate, tiny and handsomely colored. 



Pe-zi'-za, a Large Genus. — As the earlier botanists used this generic 

 term it included a very large nmnber of species. In later times other 

 genera have been carved out of it or formed to include special groups of 



I'iG. 115. I'E-zi'-ZA (.uc-cin'-e- \ (Sar-co-scy'-plui coc-cin'-c-a). Scarlet Pe-zi'-za. 

 lliis hcavitiiul i)lant ai)pt'ar.s very early in spring. It may be found in the woods 

 sOprovving on rotten logs or on decayed wood in the soil. The photo from which the 

 jv^ut was made was furnished by Or. (). 1'",. I'ischcr, Detroit, Michigan. 



UnrversitY Bulletin, Scries 9. No. 22. Entered as Seconil Qass Matter, Post-office at Columbus. Oh'o 



