468 BRITISH FUNGI 



C. vulgaye. — Peridium thick, |;i;reyish buff, smooth and shining 

 inside, downy outside ; peridiola circular, biconvex, pale. 

 Becoming broadly open and bell-shaped, about \ in. across. 

 On wood, twigs, etc. Tufted. 



NiDULARIA 



Peridium formed of a single membrane ; peridiola numerous, 

 involved in mucus, not attached by a cord to the peridium. 



Distinguished from Cyathus and Crucihulum by the peridiola 

 not being attached to the wall of the peridium by a cord or funiculus. 



A^. pisiformis. — Peridium sessile, hairy, dirty buff, nodulose 

 above, splitting irregularly, about \ in. across ; peridiola bicon^•ex, 

 brown, shining. 



On the ground, wood, leaves, etc. Solitary or gregarious. 



A^. herkeleyi. — Subglobose, hairy, thick, cinnamon, inside velvety, 

 cinnamon, about J in. across, becoming broadly open ; peridiola 

 many (40-50), biconvex, brown, shining. 



On wood and chips. Solitary or clustered. 



N. confluens. — Peridium thin, subglobose, downy, whitish, 

 irregularly torn above ; peridiola numerous, circular, compressed, 

 smooth, wrinkled when dry. 



On chips and amongst leaves. Crowded and often irregular from 

 mutual pressure. 



S. dentata. — Turban-shaped, pale buff, rather woolly, with about 

 five small, sharp teeth round the edge ; peridiola reddish brown. 



Several growing together on rotten sticks. This species was 

 described many years ago, and has not been seen now for many 

 years. 



Sph^robolus 



Peridium composed of two layers, splitting into several sharp- 

 pointed teeth above, the inner wall becoming exserted elastically, 

 and ejecting the single peridiolum to a considerable distance. 



Known by the peridium splitting in a stellate manner at the apex, 

 and by the single peridiolum. 



5. stellatus. — Peridium pale yellow or whitish, about /„ in. 

 across, splitting at the apex into several sharp teeth ; peridiolum 

 broadly elliptical. 



The peculiar structure of the peridium is for the purpose of 

 effecting the dispersion of the spores contained in the sporidiolum. 

 The fungus is subglobose when young ; when mature the two layers 

 of the peridial wall split into several sharp-pointed teeth at the top, 

 the inner layer then suddenly contracts and becomes inverted 

 through the toothed opening, having in the act ejected the peri- 

 diolum to some distance away. 



The fungus is by no means uncommon on rotten wood, twigs, 

 etc., in damp places, usually crowded, and connected by cobweb-like 



