'.IS 



N. ditissima, Tul. Sol. Fung. Carp. III. p. 73. 



Exsicc. Thum. M, U. 1156, Rav. F. Am. 766. Myc. March. 950, 1546. Ell. & Evrht. 

 N. A. F. 2d Ser. 1548. Ell- N. A. F. 772 ? 



Peritheeia densely gregarions, small, subglobose, bright red, verti- 

 cally collapsed when prematurely dried. Ostiolum papilliform, minute. 

 Asci clavatc, about 80 JJL long and 8-10 , broad above, contracted be- 

 low into a slender base. Spnridia crowded, biseriate, fasoid-oblong, 

 nniseptate, slightly curved, 14-16 x4-4| t u. 



On dead Acacia, So. Ca. (Ravenel), on Melia, Louisiana (Lang- 

 lois), on flex, Connecticut (Thaxter). 



N. Celastri, (Schw.) 



Sphczria Celastri, Schw. Syn. N. Am, 1421. 

 Nectria Celastri, Sacc. Syll. 4669. 



Stroma tuberculiform, pale yellowish within, becoming black out- 

 side, subpulvinate. Perithecia densely cespitose on the stroma, glo- 

 bose-ovate, rugose, about the size of those of N. cinnabarina, easily 

 falling from the stroma. Ostiola obsolete, but showing as dark-brown 

 specks. The perithecia at length become indurated, but do not col- 

 lapse. 



Specimens on Celastrus scandens, collected in New York State 

 by W. R. Gerard, agree well with the above-quoted characters, except 

 in having the perithecia only 150-200 p. diameter and collapsed. 

 AVe do not, however, consider this latter character in every case 

 reliable, as it depends, in some measure, on the stage of growth at which 

 the specimens are collected. In Gerard's specimens, the stroma is not 

 \vrll shown, as it is already covered with and partially obliterated 

 by the superimposed perithecia, which are of a bright red color at first, 

 but at length dark red and collapsed, and have the surface subverru- 

 cose-roughened. The asci are cylindrical, 55-60 x 6 //, or sometimes 

 enlarged above to 8 or 10 /j. thick. Sporidia uniseriate, elliptical, uni- 

 septate, not constricted, 7-8 x 3|-4 /JL. The groups of perithecia are 

 about 1 mm. across. Notwithstanding the slight discrepancies, we are 

 inclined to regard this as the species meant by Schweinitz, who found 

 it rather rare on Celastrus, about Bethlehem, Pa. Peck, in 26th Re- 

 port, also mentions it as found by him at Greenbush, N. Y., but he 

 gives no description of his specimens and we have not seen them. 



N. vulgaris, Speg. Fung. Arg. Pug. IV, No. 198. 



Perithecia erumpent-superficial, subsolitary or cespitose (10-30 

 together) ; at first covered with a conidial layer (Verticillium tuber- 

 cularioides Speg.), then bare, when dry, contracted into various shapes, 

 subconic-lenticular when moist, 250-300 /j. diam., amber-yellow or 

 yellow-orange, very smooth, ostiolum inconspicuous,texture thick-mem- 



