CHAPTER XIII. 



NIDULARIACEAE BIRD'S NEST FUNGI. 



Spores produced on sporophores, compacted into one or more globose or 

 disciform bodies, contained within a distinct peridium. Berkeley. 

 There are four genera included in this order. 



Cyathus Peridium cup-shaped, composed of three different membranes. 

 Crucibulum Peridium of a uniform spongy membrane. 

 Nidularia Peridium globose, sporangia enveloped in mucus. 

 Sphaerobolus Peridium double, sporangia ejected singly. 



Cvathus. Pers. 



Cyathus is from a Greek word meaning a cup. 



The peridium is composed of three membranes very closely related, closed at 

 first by a white membrane, but finally bursting at the top. Sporangia plane, 

 umbilicate, attached to the wall bv an elastic cord. 



Cyathus striatus. Hoffm. 



Striate Cyathus. 



The plants are small, obconic, truncate, broadly open ; externally ferruginous, 

 with a hairy tomentum, internally lead-color, smooth, striated. 



The sporangia are somewhat trigonous, whitish, broadly umbilicate ; covering 



Photo by C. G. Lloyd. 

 Figure 441. Cyathus striatus. 



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