294 



BRITISH DISCOMYCETES. 



common membrane, when mature variously aggregated 

 at the extremity of the asci. (Plate IX. fig. 55.) 



Small species growing on dung. Easily distinguished 

 from the preceding by the short and large asci, which 

 are less prominent, and only at maturity in the form of 

 projecting round black points ; by the sporidia being 

 enclosed in a common membrane ; and by the shorter 

 paraphyses. 



Name o-a/cfcoe, sac, |3aXXw, a projection. 



AERANGEMENT OF THE SPECIES. 



A. Exterior of cup smooth 



B. Exterior pubescent 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Exterior of cup golden-yellow 



Exterior of cup fuliginous 



Exterior of cup violet. . 



Exterior of cup pallid or whitish 



Cups plane, pallid, then vinous 



Cups globose, white, then cinereous 



Cups hemispherical, white, and pubescent 



species 1-5 

 6 



Kerverni. 



obscurus. 



violaceus. 



1 



depauperatus, 



neglectus. 



cxsariatus. 



A. EXTERIOR OF CUP SMOOTH. 



1. Saccobolus Kerverni. (Crouan.) 



Very small, scattered or crowded, golden yellow or 

 amber, glabrous, shining, sessile, hemispherical, some- 

 times subcylindrical ; hymenium flat or convex ; asci 

 wide, incurved ; sporidia 8, elliptic, at first white, then 

 rosy, and finally of a beautiful violet, smooth, or rarely 

 minutely and irregularly rimose, disposed at the summit 

 of the ascus in an oblong mass, enclosed in a hyaline 

 membrane, 20 23 X 10/j ; paraphyses branched, septate, 

 a little thickened at the summits, enveloped in a golden 

 or yellowish-green gelatine. 



Ascobolus Kerverni Crouan in "Ann. Sc. Nat.," 

 1858, t. x. pi. 13, B, f. 7-10 ; " Flo. Finn.," p. 57 ; Cooke, 

 "Jour. Bot.," 1864, f. 8; FckL, " Symb. Myco.," p. 287; 

 B. and Br., " Ann. Sc. Nat.," No. 1090, t. 17, f. 34 ; Karat., 

 'Myco. Fenn.," p. 78; Cooke, " Handbk.," No. 2206; 

 Gill., " Champ.," p. 141, c. i, Ascobolus glabcr Coemans, 



