178 FUNGI OF EAST DORSET. 



Family 2. NIDULARIACEAE. (Lat., nidus, o 



nest). " Birds' nest Fungi." 



Small, cup-shaped, containing 



small compressed bodies. 



Genus 1. CYATHUS Haller. (Gr., kyathos, a cup). Peri- 



dium of three layers. 

 C. striatus Huds. (Lat., streaked or ridged). 



On wood, twigs, or firccnes on the ground ; rare. 

 On old stumps rotting in the ground, in Maldry 

 Wood, between St. Giles and Edmondsham ; cup 

 J iin. in diameter. 



Genus 2. SPHAEROBOLUS lode. (Gr., sphaira, a ball, 

 bole, throw ; because the solitary peridiolum is 

 ejected at maturity). 



S. stellatus Tode. (Lat., starlike, from the way it splits). 

 Minute, crowded, on wood, twigs, &c. ; un- 

 common. By the roadside bewteen Edmondsham 

 and Sutton Holms. 



Family 3. LYCOPERDACEAE (" Puff-balls.") 



Peridium thin ; gleba becoming powdery. 

 Genus 1. GE ASTER (Gr., ge, earth, aster, a star, because 

 the outer coat splits in a starlike manner). " Earth 

 stars." 



G. fornicatus Fr. (Lat., arched, from fornix, an 

 arch). 



On the ground among leaves, &c. ; distinguished 

 by the inner layer of the exoperidium becoming 

 arched and attached to the outer layer by the tips 

 of the segments only ; very rare. Found by Mrs. 

 E. W. Baker in woodland at Witchampton. 

 G. lageniformis Vitt. (Lat., flask-shaped, from lagena, 

 a flagon, and forma, a shape). 



On the ground ; exorperidium splitting into 

 acute segments ; very rare. Witchampton, 

 Mrs. E. W. Baker. 



