MUSIIROOMS AND OTHER COMMON FUNGI. 45 



Fruiting body cerebriform, or forming foliaceous, sessile tufts Tremella. 



Fruiting body cup shaped or forming irregular masses Exidia. 



Fruiting body subsiipitate, somewhat spalulate, bifurcate, gelatinous, 



cartilaginous, the two surfaces different, hymcnium unilateral Guei-inia. 



Fruiting body very gelatinous, bearing crowded, acute spines on the 



under surface Themellodon. 



HIRNEOLA. 



Species of the genus Hirncola are irregularly cup shaped, earlike, 

 soft and subgelatinous when wet, horny when dry, veined or wrinkled. 



Hirneola auricula-judae. 



This species is commonly known as Jew's-ear, on account of its resemblance to the 

 human ear. It occurs singly or grouped, and varies in size from 1 to 2 inches across, 

 and in color from brown to black. Hirneola auricula-judae is found on decaying wood 

 of various trees, but is reported as exhibiting a preference for elms. It is extensively 

 used in China, where it is made into soup. (PL XXXIV, fig. 2; from C. G. Lloyd.) 



TREMELLA. 



In the genus Tremella the substance is gelatinous, tremulous, con- 

 voluted, or effuse, and the hymenium covers the entire upper surface 

 of the plant. The species are most commonly found growing on 

 rotting wood, sometimes on the ground, and occasionally parasitically, 

 as, for instance, the species Tremella mycetopJiila on Collybia dryopMla. 

 Members of this genus are reported as harmless, but as their water 

 content is large and their nutritive value small, they are not to be 

 highly recommended as an article of diet. 



Tremella frondosa. 



This species consists of many contorted, twisted, leaf like lobes, united at the middle 

 and base. It is described as pinkish yellow, but the collector will often find it cream 

 buff. Tremella frondosa is said to be the largest species of the genus, often attaining 

 a size of 4 to 6 inches in diameter and slightly less than that in height. It occurs 

 during the summer and early fall on decaying wood. 



EXIDIA. 



The species of most common occurrence in this genus is Exidia 

 glandulosa, commonly called witches' butter. In wet weather it 

 appears as an exceedingly gelatinous, amorphous mass, brown to 

 black in color, and varying in size from one-half to 1 inch in width. 

 In dry weather it persists as a black incrustation on fallen limbs or 

 trunks. It is an autumnal species, but persists through the winter. 



GUEPINIA. 



The species of the genus Guepinia are gelatinous when moist and 

 cartilaginous when dry. In the latter condition they are shriveled 

 and very much reduced in size. The hymenium is developed on only 

 one side of the sporophore. 



