CLtJSTEE-CUPS. 
27 
It is not a very desirable occupation to search a bed of 
nettles, and turn over the individual leaves to look for minute 
fungi. A very pretty JEcidium is nevertheless far from 
uncommon in such a habitat. Fortunately it occurs very 
often on the petioles of the leaves and on the stem, distorting 
them very much ; and in such situations flourishing, appa- 
rently, more vigorously than when occupying the under-surface 
of the leaves (fig. 10). In the latter situation the clusters of 
peridia are small, seldom exceeding a dozen in a spot, but 
several spots may be found on the same leaf. On the stem 
they are clustered around for upwards of an inch in length, 
and their bright orange colour in such a situation renders 
them very conspicuous objects. The peridia are always 
closely packed together upon a thickened base, and offer 
but slight variations from the forms already enumerated, save 
that they widen slightly at the mouth so as to become nearly 
campanulate. The spores are orange, and very profuse. 
During the present summer we noticed, for the first time, a 
very pretty little species of JEcidnlm , on the wood sanicle in 
Darenth wood. It was far from uncommon, and we believe it 
to be specifically distinct from its nearest ally, found on the 
earthnut leaves, and those of some other umbelliferous plants. 
The little cups are in small clusters of four or five together, 
on the under-surface and on the petioles ; they are small, but 
the teeth are relatively large, white, and distinct. The spores 
are of a pallid, yellowish colour, and not so profuse as in the 
last species. A darker spot on the upper surface of the leaf 
generally indicates their presence. This species was found 
many years ago by Carmichael at Appin, and called by him 
JEcidmm saniculce ; but we find no notice of its occurrence 
since, though it seems to be far from uncommon at Darenth, 
and probably elsewhere should the sanicle be common also* 
It is unnecessary here to refer to other allied species of 
JEJeidium , except one to be presently noticed, since we have 
elsewhere enumerated and given descriptions of all the species 
hitherto found in Britain, together with figures of some not 
included here.* Suffice it to say that the one on the alder 
buckthorn has been very common this year in the Highgate 
and Hornsey woods. That on the honeysuckle we have found 
but very rarely. On the gooseberry and red-currant leaves 
commonly in some years and rarely in others ; whilst a few 
of those described we have never collected. The species on 
different composite plants is subject to great variation, and on 
most may be found in the autumn : one variety only we have 
met with in the spring. 
* In a forthcoming number of “ Seemann’s Journal of Botany.” 
