2 



Mycologia 



times the species has been picked up, from the records and 

 specimens seen it appears to be a very rare fungus and it is 

 hoped that the publication of the illustration and description at 

 this time may result in bringing to light other specimens which 

 may have been collected in this or other states. 



Peck in describing the plant states : "It is as if the ?tem of 

 Helvetia crispa should be deprived of its pileus and entirely 

 covered with an adnate hymenium, thus becoming a stemless re- 

 ceptacle." Sections of the stem show it to be porous, the pores 

 consisting of longitudinal cavities separated by partitions as 

 indicated in the accompanying drawing. 



Schroeter has placed this genus in the Rhizinaceae but as indi- 

 cated by Underwood it belongs more properly with the Helvel- 

 laceae. While from its general form it would seem to be out 

 of place among the cup-fungi, in a general way the Helvellaceae 

 are included with this group in spite of their irregularity in form. 



The genus appears to be well marked and stands as an excellent 

 memorial to the man who has done so much to stimulate an 

 interest in North American mycology. 



Underwoodia Peck, Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Mus. 43: 78. 1890 



Pileus fleshy, more or less elongated or columnar, entirely 

 covering the stem; hymenium covering the entire outer surface 

 of the pileus, even or undulated; stem externally lacunose and 

 internally containing several longitudinal cavities ; asci cylindric 

 above, 8-spored; paraphyses slender below, clavate above. 



Type species, Underzvoodia columnaris Peck. 



Underwoodia columnaris Peck, Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Mus. 



43: 78. 1890 



Pileus clavate, columnar or slightly tapering above, straight or 

 curved and often horn-shaped, entirely overspreading the stem; 

 at first light-colored, becoming brownish ; the entire fruiting bod} 

 appearing like the stem of a Helvetia entirely overspread with the 

 pileus, reaching a height of 10 cm. and a diameter of 2-3 cm. ; 

 asci reaching a length of 350 ^ and a diameter of 20 /x, tapering 

 below into a stem-like base with a rather abrupt enlargement at 

 the extreme base; spores 1 -seriate or occasionally slightly 



