Spore-sac Fungi — Ascomycetes 



Stem — None. 



Habitat— 'Wit specimen pictured was found in December, among 

 the violets in a cold frame in New Jersey. 



Golden Peziza (Edible) 



PeT^i^a aurantia 



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 HELVELLALES—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 GEOGLOSSACEyE 



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 Spathularta has the spore body flattened and 

 growing down both sides of the stem. 



Velvety Spathularia 



Spathularta velutipes (See Plate Facing Page 132) 



Spore 5^4-— 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-ran'-sht-S Ve-Iu'-tt-pes 



138 



