126 MR. GEORGE MASSEE ON THE THELEPHORES. 
the connecting-link. It will be observed that the point of contact 
with the Ascomycetes through the Tremellinee is not at the 
base of the Thelephores, but through Corticium, a comparatively 
highly organized genus, which in the frequent subgelatinous 
consistency when moist, and large sausage-shaped curved spores 
of many species, presents affinities with the Tremellinex through 
Exobasidium. From Corticium there is an upward development 
resulting in the Hymenomycetes, and a downward one passing 
insensibly into the Hyphomycetes,where the amount of differentia- 
tion from the asexual or gonidial states of the ascigerous species 18 
much less than in the Hymenomycetes ; in fact numerous so-called 
genera whichare, according to systematists, typical Hy phomycetes, 
as Dactylium, Sepedonium, Trichothecium, Mycogone, &c., have 
been proved to be asexual phases of well-known ascigerous species, 
possessing the power, under certain conditions, of reproducing 
themselves continuously without the intervention of the higher 
form of reproduction. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES. 
Pirate XLV. 
Fig. 1. Stereum hirsutum, Fr., illustrating the (a)-type of sporophore: nat. 
size. 
2. S. hirsutum, illustrating the (d)-type of sporophore; a, pileus; 4, hy- 
menium : nat. size. 
3. S. hirsutum, illustrating the (c)-type of sporophore : nat. size. 
4. S. hirsutum, illustrating the (d)-type of sporophore ; a, pileus; 6, hy- 
menium: nat. size. 
Puare XLVI. 
Fig. 5. Corticium sanguineum, Fr., illustrating various stages in the formation 
of *' clamp-connections” : x 400. . 
6. Peniophora velutina, Cooke, hypha from the radiating mycelium with 
H-shaped formations: x 400. m 
T. Stereum hirsutum, vertical section passing through one of the gonidia- 
bearing tufts a, which is geen to originate from the subhymenial 
layer: x 500. . 
8. Asterostroma albido-carneum, Massee, vertical section showing the position 
of the coloured stellate hyphæ : x 300. 
9. A. albido-carneum, coloured stellate hyphee: x 500. . 
10, Aleurodiscus Oakesii, Massee, illustrating the transition from a typical 
basidium a, with four sterigmata, to so-called gonidiophores, 5, c : 
x 500. 
