258 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



mixed with charcoal, and in this case the cups had run 

 together so as to form an irregular mass about 1 to 2 inches 

 in diameter, the individual cups near the center having been 

 fused into one mass, the sporidia also being much larger. 

 The color of the plants in both specimens is nearly the same. 



Pyronema melaloma (Fr.) Fckl. 

 Plate IV, fig. 11. 



1823 Peziza melaloma Fries, Syst. Myc, II, p. 68. 



1889 Pyronema melaloma vSaccarclo, Sylloge Fung., VIII, p. 197. 



Cups at first hemispherical then expanded, nearly plane, 

 hymenium dull orange-red, 3 to 5 mm in diameter, externally 

 clothed with dark brown, indistinct, hair-like processes; asci 

 cylindrical; sporidia elliptic, 1- to 2-guttulate 7 to 10 by 15 

 to 18 microns, smooth, hyaline; paraphyses filiform, septate, 

 somewhat enlarged upwards. 



Habitat — On the ground iu a burnt place in the fall; Iowa 

 City. 



Similar to LacJinea melaloma (A. & S.) Sacc. but cups 

 smaller and orange-red instead of brown and the hair-like pro- 

 cesses not so well developed. In this species these hair-like 

 structures consist of dark brownish lines near the margin of 

 the cup which in some cases seem to be hairs but are not 

 very well developed. The plants were numerous in the fall 

 where wood had been burned. 



Family II— PESI^ACE^. 



Receptacle, for the most part, borne on the surface, not im- 

 mersed in the substratum, sessile or stipitate, externally 

 smooth or clothed with hairs, fleshy. At first closed then 

 opening by a small aperture at the top and gradually expand- 

 ing. Peridium and hypothecium composed of loose roundish 

 cells. Asci not protruding at maturity, often operculate, or 

 opening by a flap-like structure. Spores hyaline. 



