SACCOBOLUS. 169 



larly 2-seriate, smooth, continuous, elliptic-oblong, ends 

 blunt, for a long time hyaline, then becoming brown, 20-25 

 X 12-14 fx ; paraphyses numerous, hyaline, septate, about 

 2 /x, thick, scarcely or not at all thickened at the tips. 



On cow dung. 



Type specimen examined. In Cooke's Fung. Brit., Exs., 

 n. 286, the present species is mixed with Ascoplt anus pilosus. 



Agreeing with AscopJianus pilosus in the colourless, aseptate, 

 pointed hairs, but differing in the larger spores, which 

 eventually become brown. Lachnea stercorea and L. copri- 

 naria are at once distinguished by the external hairs being 

 brown and sei")tate. 



SACCOBOLUS. Bond. (fig. 11. p. 156.) 



Ascophore sessile, somewhat fleshy, minute, at first 

 subglobose ; the disc expanding and becoming plane or 

 slightly convex, at length studded with the tips of the 

 projecting asci ; externally glabrous or pilose ; excipulum 

 and cortex parenchymatous ; asci broadly clavate-oblong, 

 apex rather truncate, base narrowed into a pedicel, 8-spored ; 

 spores elliptical, at first hyaline, finally violet or violet- 

 brown, epispore often minutely cracked, when mature 

 aggregated in a cluster surrounded by a special membrane, 

 and situated near the top of the ascus ; paraphyses present. 



Saccobolas, Boudier, Mem. Ascob., p. 38 ; Phil., Brit. Disc, 

 p. 293 ; Sacc, Syll., viii. p. 524. 



Allied to Asco bolus in the coloured spores, but readily 

 separated by having the spores enclosed in a special 

 membrane within the ascus, and aggregated in a group at 

 the apex of the ascus when mature. 



* Ascophore glabrous. 



Saccobolus obscurus. Phil., Brit. Disc, p. 295; 

 Sacc, Syll., viii. n. 2180. 



Densely crowded or scattered, sessile, at first globose, the 

 disc gradually expanding and becoming plane or slightly 

 convex, dingy brown, blackish when dry, from -i— J mm. 

 across, glabrous; excipulum and cortex formed of small. 



