438 



Griffiths : Pvrenomvcetes 



SORPARIA PLEIOSPORA Wlllt. 



Pcrithccia scattered, with base slightly sunken in the soft sub- 

 stratum, covered especial!}- above with the characteristic cellular 

 agglutinated hairs of this group, together with a few long, delicate, 

 simple, slightly flexuous, sparingly septate, brown hairs, and ter- 

 minating in a curved, black, rounded or truncate beak, 450 f. x 600 /r. 

 asci 28-32-spored, cylindrical-clavate, short-stipitate, 30-40 /<x 

 175-200//: spores oval, 12-15// x 18-21 //, black and opaque 

 with h)-aline evanescent gelatinous appendage at lower end, about 



^ the length of the spore. 



/ 



The measurements of spores and asci given abov^e arc consid- 

 erably at variance with the published descriptions of European 

 forms. The species is also described with gelatinous apiculus 

 at each end of the spore. The number of spores in an ascus is 

 said to vary from 16-64, but my specimens vary within the much 

 narrower limits quoted above. 



The gravest variations, there- 



fore 



, are in spore measurements which are given by Winter as 

 16-19/^ X 24-34//. The variation in the size of the ascus is not 

 so important in my estimation since the number of spores is so 

 variable." 



Associated with these species developed on Salsola stems I 

 find an abundance of conidial forms resembling those which 

 Winter found in his cultures. He, however, was unable to trace 



I 



any connection between these conidial forms and the species of 

 Sordaria with which it was associated and simply mentions it as a 

 probable conidial form. He describes the hyphac as short, hyaline, 

 continuous, with a bifurcate apex ; and the spores -as fusiform with 

 attenuate base and rounded apex, continuous or obscurely uni- 

 scptate. In my material the spores are of two distinct forms both 

 of which are evidentl)' polyscptate. One form resembles those 

 described above in everything but the septation of the spores while 

 the other has long spindle-form spores resembling the former but 

 pointed at both ends. Thus far I have found nothing that enables 

 me to make any statement regarding their probable affinities. 



Sordaria fimicola (Rob.) Ces. & DeNot. 



I 



This species developed on dead Elcocharis culms affected with 



I \ 



Plcospora aquatica placed In moist chamber for 1 8 days. As it 

 is described by Messrs. Ellis & Everhart in N. A. Pyreno., 127, it 

 need only be mentioned here. PL j6j.f. 16-1S. 



