Spore-sac Fungi Ascomycetes 



Stem None. 



Habitat The specimen pictured was found in December, among 

 the violets in a cold frame in New Jersey. 



Golden Peziza (Edible) 



aurantia (SEE PLATE FACING PAGE 139) 



Cup Orange red within, golden or whitish outside, with a 



frosted appearance. Subsessile, irregular. 

 Habitat In clusters on the ground, usually in the autumn. 



ORDER HELYELL ALES EAR TH- TONGUES 



The order Helvellales contains the fleshy spore-sac fungi 

 which have the spore-bearing body, the ascoma, open from the 

 earliest stage of its development. 



FAMILY GEOGLOSSACE/E 



The family Geoglossacece, which belongs to this order, con- 

 tains the earth-tongues, which are club-like forms, green or 

 black or yellow, and from one to three inches high, common on 

 the ground, growing in rich wood mould. In consistency they 

 are fleshy, gelatinous, or waxy, and their asci open by means 

 of a terminal pore. 



GENUS SPATHULARIA 



The genus Spathularia has the spore body flattened and 

 growing down both sides of the stem. 



Velvety Spathularia 



Spathularia velutipes (SEE PLATE FACING PAGE 123} 



Spore Body Flattened, tawny yellow, shaped like a spatula, with 

 the spore surface wavy and growing down two sides of the 

 stem. 



Stem Hollow, minutely velvety, dark brown tinged with yellow. 



Flesh Firm and tough, shrinking little in drying. 



Habitat Mossy trunks in damp woods. 



Au.rin'-shK-* Ve-ia'-tf-pes 



138 



