Key to Species of Cyathus. Peridia internally striate 1. C. novae-zelandiae. Peridia internally smooth and even.   Spores over 20 mmm. long 5. C. stercoreus.   Spores under 20 mmm. long.    Peridiola 2–3.5 mm. diam 4. C. Olla. Peridiola 2–2.5 mm. diam.     Peridia cythifonn; margins erect 2. C. Colensoi.     Peridia campanulate; margins flaring 3. C. Hookeri. 1. Cyathus novae-zelandiae Tulasne. Tul., Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. iii, vol. 1, p. 66, 1844. Peridia infundibuliform, 12–14 mm. high, 5–7 mm. wide at the mouth, tapering gradually to the base where suddenly converging to a short stipe about 2 mm. long and 1 mm. thick; exterior dark brown, covered with appressed tomentum, interior longitudinally striate for about half the depth of the peridium, black, dull; mouth erect or slightly expanded, revolute, striate, margin entire, even. Peridiola lenticular, 2.3–3 mm. diam., black; tunica thin, white. Spores elliptical, somewhat pointed at both ends, 11–13 × 5–6 mmm. Habitat.—Growing caespitose on rotting bark. Distribution.—Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, N.Z.; rare. Type specimens collected by Raoul. This endemic species has been collected but once. It may readily be distinguished from any other species occurring in New Zealand by the presence of longitudinal striae on the upper portion of the peridium. 2. Cyathus Colensoi Berkeley. (Plate 4, fig. 2.) Berk., Fl. N.Z., vol. 2, p. 192, 1855. Peridia campanulate, up to 7 mm. high, 6 mm. wide at the mouth, tapering abruptly to short and slender stipe which about 1 mm. diam.; exterior from pallid-grey to bay-brown, finely tomentose, even, interior lead-coloured, smooth, somewhat shining; mouth erect, in old specimens slightly recurved, margin entire, even. Peridiola lenticular, 2 mm. diam., black; tunica thin, white. Spores variable in shape and size, elliptical when 10–12 × 8–10 mmm., or subglobose when 9–12 mmm. diam. Habitat.—Growing crowded or caespitose on dead wood on the ground. Distribution.—Australia; Dannevirke, N.Z.: rare. W. Colenso, Dannevirke (type), on ground in a garden. This species somewhat resembles C. Olla, but may be distinguished by the smaller differently shaped peridia, smaller peridiola, and more globose Fig. 1.—Nidula Candida (Peck) White. Natural size. Epiphragm is present on the central plant. Section on the left; note the thick wall of the peridium. Fig. 2.—a. Peridiola of Nidula candida; × 10 diam. b. Peridiola of Nidula emodensis (Berk.) Lloyd; × 10 diam. Fig. 3.—Nidula emodensis (Berk.) Lloyd. Natural size. Plants are growing on rotting log of Podocarpus sp. Note the caespitose habit. Fig. 4.—Section of young peridium of Cyathus Olla Pers., × 2.5 diam, showing the peridiola embedded in the gleba. Fig. 5.—Peridiola of Cyathus Olla Pers. × 10 diam. Point of attachment of the funiculus shown on the specimen on the right. Fig. 6.—Cyathus Olla Pers. Natural size. Immature plants in the centre, section of a peridium on the right. (Fig. 4 photographed by the writer; all others by E. Bruce Levy.)