382 



BRITISH DISCOMYCETES. 



As in the preceding genus, the excipulum is membra- 

 naceous, adnate to the matrix, more or less immersed, 

 orbicular or sometimes a little elongated, opening at the 

 top, but mostly without the distinct, friable ring of the 

 preceding ; sporidia elliptic, oblong-elliptic, fusiform or 

 linear, often pseudo-septate. 



On dead wood, herbaceous stems, etc. 



Name — ariKTog, pricked ; like punctures in the wood. 



Arrangement of the Species. 



a. Sporidia elliptic 



b. Sporidia clavate 



c. Sporidia fusiform . 



d. Sporidia doubtful . 



species 1-3 

 ,, 4 

 „ 5-8 

 „ 9 



2. 



Key to the Species. 



Hymenium urceolate 



Hymenium somewhat superficial 



Hymenium black : on grass 



Hymenium greyish-black: on Cladoni i 



Hymenium reddish-brown 



Hymenium pallid or yellowish 

 ("Sporidia simple, fusiform 

 1 Sporidia 3 to 5-septate 

 jHymenium some shade of brown 

 \ Hymenium blackish : on wood 



! Sporidia clavate 

 Sporidia fusiform ; cups arranged in linear series 

 Sporidia fusiform ; cups scattered, resembling an 

 Hysterium 



3 



graminum. 



lichenicola. 



punctiformis. 



2 



Fag i cola. 



pallida. 



4 



microstoma. 



pteridina. 



seriata. 



hysterioides. 



A. SPORIDIA ELLIPTIC. 



1. Stictis lichenicola. Mont. 



Erumpent, between fleshy and waxy, cupuliform ; 

 hymenium grey-black, nearly plane ; margin obtuse, 

 blackish, cinereous, cracking in a stellate manner ; asci 

 cylindrical ; sporidia elliptic or obovate, with many 

 guttse, then septate or fenestrate. 



Stictis lichenicola — Mont., " Ann. Sc. Nat.," 1836, 

 p. 281, t. 13, f. 3; Berk., "Ann. Nat. Hist.," No. 166; 

 Cooke, " Hanclbk.," No. 2224 ; Phil, and Plow., " Gre- 

 villea,' , iv. p. 123. 



On Cladonia pyxidata. 



Mr. Berkeley expressed his doubt whether this was a 



