Murrill: Illustrations of Fungi 



103 



dark-colored, 2 mm. broad, shining, somewhat angular, situated 

 at the bottom of the cup ; spores somewhat crescent-shaped, thick- 

 walled, hyaline, 12-18 X 6-9^. 



This tiny bird's nest fungus occurs singly or in clusters on 

 sticks, chips, rich earth, etc., throughout the United States and 

 south as far as Mexico, Porto Rico, and other parts of the tropics. 

 The " eggs" fill only the lower part of the cup, or "nest," leaving 

 the upper striated part, by which the species is readily known, 

 exposed to view. 



The family to which this species and the next belong was studied 

 here some years ago by Miss V. S. White, who published an 

 illustrated article on the subject in the Bulletin of the Torrey 

 Club 29 : 260, in which all the bird's nest fungi of North America 

 were discussed. 



Crucibulum crucibuliforme (Scop.) White 

 Crucibulum vulgar e Tulasne 

 Common Crucibulum 



Plate 40. Figure 12. X 1 



Peridium tough, cylindric-campanulate, truncate and slightly 

 contracted at the base, 5-10 mm. broad and high ; outer surface 

 smooth, isabelline to fulvous, minutely velvety, glabrous and 

 fading with age ; inner surface smooth, shining, whitish ; mouth 

 entire, at first covered with a thin yellowish membrane; sporan- 

 gioles 1.5-2 mm. broad, numerous, pale-ochraceous to whitish; 

 spores ellipsoid, smooth, hyaline, 8-10 X4-6/A. 



This species of the Nidulariaceae occurs commonly throughout 

 temperate North America on decayed twigs, chips, trash, etc. It 

 grows in shady places and is shaped like a cup or crucible, while 

 the preceding species seems to prefer the open and is vase-shaped 

 or obconic in form. Both species are tough and inedible, but 

 not poisonous, although much too small to be considered for 

 economic purposes. 



Campanularius semiglobatus sp. no v. 



Hemispheric Campanularius 



Plate 40. Figure 13. X 1 



Pileus subhemispheric, with broad, compressed umbo, gre- 

 garious or subcespitose, 2.5-4 cm. broad ; surface glabrous, smooth 



