NOTES ON THE D1SCOMYCETES . 
17 
ii., p. 51), “ Saepius inter Pezizas, non species, vix varietates, sed 
individua describunt auctores.” 
A third difficulty is this — that young specimens, in a partially 
developed state, are really different in form, size, and colour, from 
old specimens of the same species, in the groups Cupulares , 
Cochleatce, &c. These differences continue till the ripening of the 
sporidia, and after, but when the sporidia were not formerly con- 
sidered, it may have often happened that young specimens, destitute 
of sporidia, were described as typical species, from which the older 
and riper specimens considerably differed. 
Finally, if we give up descriptions and figures, and resort to 
original specimens we are met by an impediment which makes the 
value of original specimens illusory. The larger Discomycetes , when 
dried and pressed, are often useless for recognising form and colour. 
Every one may convince himself that descriptions so made are 
almost worthless if he will compare fresh living specimens with dried 
and pressed specimens of one and the same species. Still form and 
colour are important characters, if, moreover, the original in ques- 
tion is gathered too early, not yet containing ripe sporidia, it is then 
simply useless, in which case the hairiness, or the like, become very 
characteristic — but the chief point lies in the following : it often 
happens that two or more species of Peziza are externally very 
similar, so that without examining the internal structure, they may 
be looked upon as the same species, and were so looked upon in 
early times. It may thus happen that if an example consists 
of several pieces of earth, each piece may pertain to another species, 
or that different species similar, as a rule, may grow on the same 
piece. I will give an example. 
There often grow, intermixed on our “ Molasse-sand,” three 
Pezizce (in the old sense of that term) Peziza umbrosa , Feld. 
(Cooke, “ Mycographia,” 138), P. trechispora , B. & Br. (l.c., 129], 
and P. miniata , Fckl. — the latter small specimens, but quite 
typical. The three are each red in colour, equal in size, similar in 
form, and clothed with brown hairs. On more accurate examina- 
tion the length and distribution of the hairs certainly appear different, 
but this can easily be overlooked. Hence, it happens that all three 
growing together on a small space of earth, and which, without 
microscopical examination, might be easily taken to be identical, 
are readily referred to different species by the aid of the sporidia. 
Admitting that Fries, in establishing his Peziza umbrosa , had such 
a piece of earth before him, and stored it up as the original of this 
species, and that it has now to be established which red Peziza , 
with brown hairs, Fries intended by his Peziza umbrosa — the task 
would be impossible. 
If, now, we comprehend all the situation here set forth, the 
difficulties which often oppose us in recognising the species of 
Discomycetes in the older authors, the result is very discouraging 
and perplexing and “ guter Rath theuer.” 
Perhaps the following propositions will tend to the harmonising 
2 
