THE DISCOMYCETES OF EASTERN IOWA. 255 



elliptic, yellowish, 20 to 25 by 12 to 14 microns; paraphyses 

 filiform, slightly enlarged at their apices. 



Habitat — On the ground; spring; Iowa. 



The stem is long and generally even and the pileus is 

 a small cap-shaped body often of a dark brownish or yellow- 

 ish color. The plants often grow to a height uf from 5 to 6 

 inches. The stem is covered with minute hair-like structures, 

 which are very irregular, consisting of loosely united roundish 

 or elongated cells. 



Genus II— H ELVELLA Fries. 



Receptacle pileate, supported by the center, deflected, con- 

 cave and sterile beneath. Upper surface of pileus covered by 

 the hymenium which is even. Stem always present, united 

 by the center to the pileus, hollow or filled with cavities. In 

 mature plants pileus compressed, lobate, substance waxy- 

 membranaceous; asci cylindrical; sporidia 8, elliptic, smooth; 

 paraphyses linear. 



Several species have been collected in this part of the state, 

 two of which are described. The plants described are found 

 in woods in the spring or fall. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a — Stem grooved, large; pileus free at the margin . H. crispa. 



a — Stem even, slender ; pileus free .... H. clastica. 



Helvella crispa (Scop.) Fries. 

 Plate III, fig. 1. 



1823 Helvella crispa Fries, Syst. Myc. , II, p. 14. 



186U Helvella crispa Berkeley, Outl. of Brit. Fung. , p. 350. 



1871 Helvella crispa Cooke, Handbk. of Brit. Fung., II, p. 658. 



1887 Helvella crispa Phillips Brit. Disc, p. 10. 



1889 Helvella crispa Saccardo, Sylloge Fung., VIII, p. 18. 



1896 Helvella crispa Underwood, Minn. Bot. Studies, reprint, p. 48^. 



1897 Helvella crispa Engler-Prantl, Pflan. Famil., I, i, p. 170, fig. 141. 

 I ( K )D Helvella crispa Atkinson, Mush., p. 219. 



Pileus deflected, lobed, free, crisped, pallid; stem hollow 



