160 FUNGUS-FLORA. 



Ascophores scattered, sessile, at first globose then expand- 

 ing, the disc becoming slightly concave, margin minutely 

 crenulate, externally glabrous, dull purple, 1-2 mm. across ; 

 excipulum parenchymatous, cortical cells large, polygonal, 

 tinged purple ; asci clavate, base narrowed into a slender 

 pedicel, 8-spored ; spores irregularly 2-seriate, elliptical, at 

 first hyaline, then purple, finally brown, epispore with more 

 or less longitudinal, anastomosing wrinkles, 21-23 X 10-12 /x ; 

 paraphyses hyaline, slender, septate, slightly longer than the 

 asci, involved in mucus. 



On rabbit dung. Also said to have been met with on 

 cow-dung. 



Type specimen examined. 



Ascobolus glaber. Pers. Obs., i. p. 34, t. 4, fig. 7; 

 Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 288 ; Sacc, Syll., viii. n. 2144. 



Ascophores crowded or rarely scattered, sessile, but more 

 or less narrowed towards the base and of a p}*riform or 

 obconic form, disc becoming plane or even slightly convex ; 

 glabrous and almost translucent when fresh, up to 1 mm. 

 across, usually tawny-brown, but sometimes whitish, or with 

 a reddish-purple tinge ; excipulum parenchymatous, cortical 

 cells polygonal, 18-25 //. diameter; asci broadly clavate, 

 base rather stout, crooked, 8-spored ; spores irregularly 

 2-seriate, elliptical, ends obtuse, hyaline then deep violet, 

 more or less longitudinally wrinkled, the wrinkles running 

 into each other, 25-28 x 12-14 /x; paraphyses septate, rather 

 stout, hyaline, tips not thickened, longer than the asci. 



On dung of cow, horse, rabbit, &c. 



►Specimen in Phillips' Elv. Brit., n. 96, examined. 



Ascophores about -\-h line broad ; they are decidedly 

 pyriform when removed from the matrix. The convex disc 

 is covered with black papillae, which are the summits of the 

 asci, containing the black spores. (Phil.) 



Ascobolus- aerugineus. Fr., Obs., ii. p. 310; Boud. 

 Ascob., p. 32, pi. 7, fig. 72; Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 287. 



Ascophores gregarious, sessile, globose or subcylindrical 

 and closed when young, then expanding until the disc is 

 almost or quite plane, and somewhat marginate, and studded 

 with black points, externally glabrous ; yellowish green, 



