RYrAROBIUS. 185 



Ryparobius Leveillearms. Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 301 ; 

 Sacc, Syll., viii. n. 2249. 



Very minute, shortly stipitate, silvery white ; stem 

 formed of rounded, prominent cells; body of ascophore oi 

 smaller, much flattened cells ; margin ciliated with a single 

 row of short irregular hairs ; disc papillate ; asci very broad, 

 tapering below, with an umbonate operculum; spores 64-96, 

 oblong fusiform, obtuse at the ends, hyaline, smooth ; para- 

 ph vses not seen. 



Ascozonus Leveilleanus, Kenny, Trans. Woolhope Club, 

 1873, p. 130, figs. 1-5. 



Ascozonus Leveillei, Penny, Journ. Bot., 1874, p. 350, 

 pi. 154, figs. 1-5 



On rabbit dung. Winter. 



Ascophores -J^ to T l^ of an inch wide. (Penny.) 



Not examined. 



Fam. VII. PEZIZAE. 



The present group includes a large number of species, and 

 as a whole is characterised by the superficial, sessile or often 

 distinctly stipitate ascophore, fleshy or waxy consistency, 

 soon decaying after maturity, and the fixed asci — not pro- 

 jecting above the level of the disc at maturity. In the great 

 majority of species the spores are hyaline, and most fre- 

 quently continuous, although among the minute species 

 septate spores occur. In the brittle species, which decay 

 quickly after the spores are mature, the hypothecium and 

 excipulum are truly parenchymatous, the cells being 

 irregularly polygonal — mostly hexagonal — in outline, and 

 frequently of large size. On the other hand, where the 

 substance is somewhat leathery and persistent, as in some 

 species of Otidea, the hypothecium and excijDulum are formed 

 of slender, intricately interwoven hyphae. 



The genus Pseudopeziza, included in the Pezizae on 

 account of its close affinity with Mollisia, differing in fact 

 only in being truly erumpent, is also closely allied to the 

 genus Phacidium, thus connecting the Pezizae with the 

 Phacklieae. On the other hand, the genus Helvella connects 

 the Ilelvelleae with the Pezizae. 



