CLASSIFICATION 495 



Distinguished by the strong nitrous smell. The outside of the 

 ascophore usually has raised, anastomosing ribs which i;adiate from 

 the base. 



On damp ground, rubbish heaps, etc. 



P. ampliata. — Ascophore sessile or substipitate, thin, brittle, at 

 first globose and closed, soon plane, edge often wavy ; disc pale 

 ochraceous, often with a tinge of cinnamon, outside pallid, minutely 

 scurfy or almost smooth, i-ii in. across (spores elliptical, smooth, 

 colourless, 17-18x9-10 /'). 



Known by the pale colour, brittle texture, becoming plane, and 

 habitat. 



On decaying wood and bark of various trees. 



P. badia. — Ascophore narrowed into a very short, stout, stem- 

 like base, subgiobose and closed at first, then cup-shaped, edge 

 entire or nearly so, wavy ; disc dark brown, externally paler and 

 minutely granular, 1-2 in. across (spores elliptical, colourless, 

 minutely warted, 15-19x9-10 /x). 



Readily recognized by the bay or umber-bro\\-n disc and the 

 warted spores. 



On the ground amongst grass, scorched places, etc. 



P. siiccosa. — Ascophore hemispherical, then cup-shaped ; disc 

 pale yellowish brown, externally paler and minutely scurfy ; the 

 flesh, when broken, exudes a yellow juice, up to i in. across (spores 

 elliptical, colourless, minutely warted). 



Known by the liberation of a yellowish juice when broken. 



On the ground in woods. 



P. saniosa. — A small species of a purplish brown or ^•iolet-colour, 

 giving off a violet-coloured juice when broken. 



On the ground and on old trunks in damp places. 



Geopyxis 



Ascophore stipitate, rather fleshy, closed at first, then becoming 

 cup-shaped or nearly plane, externally downy, scurfy or smooth ; 

 stem usually somewhat slender, sometimes rooting, not grooved 

 nor lacunose, but even. 



The leading features of this genus are the comparatiwK- large 

 ascophore, stem round and c\'en. Sdcrotina differs in the brown 

 colour of every part, glabrous ascophore, and in the slender stem 

 springing from a sclerotium. Acdabida differs in the stout, 

 grooved or lacunose stem. Pczizu differs in the sessile or stalkless 

 ascophore. 



G. coccinea (PI. XXXVH, fig. i). — Ascophore suligloljose and 

 closed at first, then expanded and cui)-shaped or saucer-shaped, 

 edge entire ; disc clear deep carmine, externally whitish or with 

 just a tinge of pink, downy, i-i^ in. across ; stem whitish, downy, 



