No. 103. 
March, 1894. 
(Srpillp. 
A QUARTERLY RECORD OE CRYPTOGAMIC BOTANY 
AND ITS LITERATURE. 
FUNGI. 
Elvela auricula, Sch^jff. 
By G. Masses. 
The receipt of fine specimens of an ear-shaped Peziza from 
Rogate, in Sussex, appeared to necessitate a critical investigation of 
the species of Otidea, as at present understood. The following is 
the result : — 
Otidea auricula, Mass. ( non JSresad.) 
Somewhat caespitose or solitary, rather fleshy, elongated on one 
side, the short side cut down, narrowed below into a more or less 
distinct stem-like base, the two margins involute and approximate 
when young, then expanding into the form of a hare’s ear, or some- 
times shorter and blunter ; coriaceous when fresh, becoming rigid 
when dry, 3-6 cm. high, and 3-4 cm. across ; disc yellowish-brown, 
with a flesh-coloured tinge, externally similar or a shade paler; 
excipulum parenchymatous, cells very large, mostly elongato- 
hexagonal, 35-50 x 25-30 /*, becoming suddenly small, but yet 
parenchymatous towards the surface; asci cylindrical, base 
narrowed into a slender, usually flexuous pedicel, apex truncate, 
8-spored ; spores obliquely 1-seriate, hyaline, continuous, smooth, 
eguttulate, 25-30 X 12-14 /*; paraphyses scanty, equal in length 
to the asci, slender, septate, the upper third gradually expanding 
into a clavate tip 5-6 /x broad, hyaline. 
Elvela auricula , Schaeffer, Icon., t. 156. 
Peziza ( Cochleaice ) auricula , Cooke, Mycogr., p. 124, Fig. 213 ; 
Phil., Brit. Disc., p. 54. 
Exsic. Cooke, Fung. Brit. Exs., No. 473. 
On the ground. Britain ; France ; Germany ; Switzerland. 
We consider the fungus figured by Cooke, in Mycographia, Fig. 
213, called Peziza ( Cockleatce ) auricula , to be identical with the 
plant in Schaeffer’s Icon., t. 156, called Elvela auricula , notwith- 
standing the remarks of Bresadola and Rehm to the contrary. 
Schaeffer’s description commences with “ Est fungus unicolor,” 
which is true of Cooke’s fungus, whereas the fungus upheld by 
Bresadola and figured in Fungi Tridentini, Tab. lxxiii., is described 
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