16 



Mycologia 



fact was exemplified in several of the collections examined, in 

 one of which (Cuba, Earle & Murrill 102) little cups were seen 

 growing from old ear-shaped pieces. Furthermore, compara- 

 tively few of the A. nigra forms showed spores, thus indicating 

 that the plants were probably immature. The spores when pres- 

 ent were like those oi A. polytricha. 



3. Auricularia mesenterica (Dicks.) Pers. Myc. Eur. i : 97. 1822 



Helvella mesenterica Dicks. Crypt, i : 20. 1785. 

 Helvella tremellina Sw. Prod. 149. 1788. 



Thaelaephora mesenterica Gmel. Syst. Nat. II., 2: 1440. (1792.) 

 Merulius mesentericus Schrad. Sp. 138. 1794. 

 Thelephora tremellina Sw. Fl. Ind. Occ. 1935. 1806. 

 Auricularia ornata Pers. in Freyc. Voy. 177. pi. 2, f. 4. 1826. 

 Auricularia lohata Sommerf. in Mag. Nat. Vidensk. 1827. 

 Phlebia mesenterica Fr. El. 154. 1828. 

 Patila mesenterica Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2 : 864. 1891. 

 Patila lohata Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2 : 864. 1891. 



Tough, not swelling much with moisture, when young peziza- 

 like with hairy margin, becoming resupinate or shelving, attached 

 posteriorly but not stipitate, up to 15 cm. in length, 11 cm. in 

 breadth, and 4 mm. in thickness ; upper surface sterile, wholly or 

 partly tomentose in distinct zones of light- and dark-brown or red 

 shading to greenish or tan at the edge, sometimes showing bare 

 zones, margin usually in rounded lobes, frequently turned under; 

 hymenium inferior, red-brown, becoming almost black when dry, 

 when mature wrinkled like a mesentery, often frosted or covered 

 with a yellow bloom; spores typical of the genus, 10-12 X 5-6 /-i. 



Type locality: For Helvella tremellina Sw., Jamaica. 

 Habitat: On dead and decaying wood. 



Distribution in North America of specimens examined: 

 West Indies, Central America, and the Philippines. It is re- 

 ported also from Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North 

 Carolina. 



ExsiccATi : Cavara, Fungi Longob. 12; Roum. Fungi Sel. 720^; 

 Moug. & Nestl. Stirp. Crypt. Vog.-Rhen. 4^2; Rab.-Winter 

 Fung. Eur. 3132. 



