Barrett: Three Common Species of Auricularia 15 



2. Auricularia nigrescens (Sw.) Farl. Bib. Index, i: 308. 1905 



Pekiiza nigrescens Sw. Prod. 150. 1788. 



Peziza nigricans Sw. Fl. Ind. Occ. 3 : 1938. 1806. 



Exidia pur pur asc ens Jungh. Praem. 25. 1838. 



Exidia hispidula Berk. Ann. Nat. Hist. I. 3 : 396. 1839. 



Exidia polytricha Mont. PL Cell. Cuba, 365. 1841. 



Hirneola nigra Fr. Fung. Nat. 27. 1848. 



Hirneola polytricha Fr. Nov. Act. Roy. Soc. Sci. Upsal. III., i : 

 117. 1855. 



Hirneola hispidula Berk. Jour. Linn. Soc. 14: 352. 1874. 

 Auricularia polytricha Sacc. Misc. 2: 12. 1885. 

 Auricula hispidula Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2: 844. 1891. 

 Auricula nigra Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2: 844. 1891. 

 Auricula polytricha Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2: 844. 1891. 

 Auricularia nigra Earle, Bull. Torrey Club 26: 633. 1899. 

 Auricularia hispidula Farl. Bib. Index i : 307. 1905. 



Leathery-gelatinous, peziza-shaped at first, becoming cup- or 

 ear-shaped, or foliaceous, erect, sessile, or slightly stipitate, one 

 or several lobed, up to 10 cm. in diameter, tough even when moist ; 

 sterile surface external in cup forms, superior in foliaceous forms, 

 densely tomentose with hairs longer than those of A. Auricula, 

 red-brown when moist, becoming usually light gray or tan when 

 dry resembling chamois, but sometimes red-brown or almost 

 black when old, not usually wrinkled but sometimes appearing 

 quilted, usually pleated near place of attachment, zoneless, margin 

 frequently turned under ; hymenium interior or inferior, red- 

 brown, becoming black when dry, usually smooth, sometimes 

 papillate; spores typical of the genus, 14-15 X S"? F^- 



Type locality: Jamaica. 

 Habitat: On dead wood. 



Distribution in North America : Alabama, southern Florida 

 and the tropics. 



This plant differs from A. Auricula in its tougher texture, 

 longer and Hghter hairs, and unwrinkled sterile surface. There 

 are two common forms which most writers have considered sepa- 

 rate species: A. nigra, forming cups; and A. polytricha, spreading 

 into lobes. Montaigne (PI. Cell. Cuba, 365. 1841) notes that 

 young specimens are cup-shaped at first, and then expand. This 



