Anderson & Ickis: Massachusetts Species of Helvella 217 



not describe that species as having a venose inferior surface and 

 it seems hardly probable that so prominent a character as this 

 should escape the attention of so keen an observer. Examina- 

 tion of Peck's specimens of H. palustris (in imperfect condition, 

 to be sure) failed to show this character. H. palustris is also 

 a more slender species and is said to have a darker stipe. Both 

 Quelet and Saccardo find H. Queletiana very closely related to 

 H. sulcata (= H. lacunosa) and we were at first inclined to re- 

 gard it as a synonym, but we have found the two species growing 

 only a few feet apart and as seen in the field they appear very 

 distinct. This venose lower surface is also possessed by H. fusca 

 Gill, and H. subcostata Cke. All three agree also in the rather 

 free pileus and sulcate stipe. Study of a wide range of material 

 might show that they were not all distinct. 



Massachusetts Collections: Sunderland, Sept. 191 7 (Ander- 

 son). Oct. 1919. (Anderson), Oct. 1920. (Ickis & Anderson) 

 M. A. C. Herb. 2283, 2816, 2823. Apparently a rare species, 

 no other collections having been recorded from this state and 

 very few from elsewhere. 



5. Helvella nigra Peck, Bui. Tor. Club 26: 70. 1899 



Peck's description. Pileus irregular, eupular, 1.5-2 cm. broad, 

 externally velvety with short few-celled blackish brown or black 

 septate hairs, hymenium even, black; stem 1.5-2 cm. long, solid, 

 deeply sulcate and lacunosely pitted, velvety, black ; asci 8-spored, 

 150— 200/X long, 12-15^ broad; spores elliptic, 15-20/x long, 10-12/x 

 broad ; usually containing a single large shining nucleus. 



Ashes of an old camp fire, Mt. Katadin, Me., Sept., F. L. 

 Harvey. 



This species is externally black and everywhere clothed with 

 short thick black hairs except on the hymenium, but the inner 

 substance is white. It is peculiar in having a cup-shaped though 

 wavy and irregular ascomate or pileus. It is possible that this 

 may become reflexed or deflexed with age, but I have seen no 

 such specimens. The stem is rather long and conspicuously sul- 

 cate and lacunose and on this account I have referred the species 

 to the genus Helvella rather than to Acetabularia. The hymen- 

 ium is sometimes suffused with a white pruinosity. 



