MUSHROOMS AND OTHER COMMON FUNGI. 53 



Peridium with several to many sporangioles — Continued. 

 Peridium opening by a deciduous membrane — 



Sporangioles attached to the inner wall of the peridium — 



Peridium of three united layers and spores mixed with 



filaments Cyathus. 



Peridium of a single layer and spores not mixed with 

 filaments Crucibulum . 



CYATHUS. 



In Cyathus the peridium is cuplike and composed of three layers. 

 The apex is covered by a white membrane, which bursts, disclosing 

 egglike bodies, the peridiola, which usually fill about one-half of the 

 cup. The peridiola are attached to the inner wall of the peridium by 

 an elastic cord, which is attached to each peridiolum in a depression 

 on one side. 



Cyathus stercoreus. 



Peridium cylindrical, campanulate to infundibuliform, sessile or with an elongated 

 base, light brownish, at first with shaggy, matted hairs which disappear in age, interior 

 smooth and nonstriate ; peridiola black. 



Cyathus stercoreus is an exceedingly common species and is to be found growing on 

 manure or in heavily manured places. It is subject to considerable variation in size 

 and form. 



Cyathus striatus. 



Peridium obconic, exterior even, brownish, hairy, interior striate, lead colored; 

 apex truncate, covered by a white membrane, which is at first strigose; peridiola com- 

 pressed, subcircular. 



Plant one-half to three-fourths inch in height and about three-eighths inch in 

 diameter. 



Cyathus vernicosus. 



Peridium bell shaped, subsessile, base narrow, broadly open above, exterior at first 

 brownish, silky tomentose, becoming smooth, interior dull lead color, smooth. Differs 

 from Cyathus striatus in the even, nonfluted inner surface of the peridium and in the 

 larger peridiola. 



Plant about one-half inch in height and about three-eighths inch in diameter. 



CRUCIBULUM. 



In Crucibulum the peridium is cup shaped and consists of one thick 

 fibrous layer, lined by a very thin, smooth, and shining layer. The 

 mouth when young is covered with a yellowish tomentose membrane, 

 the peridiola are more numerous than in the preceding genus, and 

 each is attached to the peridium by an elastic cord which springs from 

 a projection on the peridiolum. The plants are smaller than in the 

 genus Cyathus. 



Crucibulum vulgare. 



Peridium yellowish brown, becoming paler with age, outer surface when young 

 velvety tomentose, inner surface smooth and shining; mouth at first closed by a yel- 

 lowish membrane, which ruptures and exposes the peridiola. Peridiola biconcave, 

 with a projection on one side from which originates the elastic cord which attaches 

 the peridiola to the peridium. 



Plant about one-fourth inch in height and about the same in diameter. 



