374 Transactions. 



living as a saprophyte ; IsariaAike forms also occur as the com" dial stages 

 in the life-cycle of Xylaria, the species of which are sapropjhytes, occurring 

 on dead logs, grass. &c. The ascospores of Cordyceps are filiform, multi- 

 cellular bodies borne in asci (cylindrical sacs), which in turn are enclosed 

 in perithecia (variously shaped receptacles bearing asci on their inner walls). 

 The perithecia are, as a rule, densely packed on the surface of or embedded 

 in the substance of the stroma. Each is provided with a definite opening 

 (ostiole) through which the spores escape at maturity. Each ascus bears a 

 small cap on its distal end, pierced by a minute pore. The ascospores are 

 filiform, and lie closely packed in parallel fascicles, eight in each ascus ; they 

 are at first continuous, but when mature are divided by many transverse 

 septa — a hundred or more. Eventually they break up at these septa into 

 secondary spores. Each secondary spore is capable of germinating and 

 infecting a host. From this it is obvious in what enormous numbers these 

 spores are produced. Assuming a stroma to bear 100 perithecia, each 

 perithecium to contain 100 asci, and each ascospore to break up into 100 

 secondary spores, the number of ascospores produced would total 8,000,000 

 — and this is, of course, a very modest estimate of the actual contents of 

 each perithecium, ascus, &c. : for example, a large specimen of Cordyceps 

 Robertsii Hook, contains many thousands of perithecia. 



Distribution of Spores. 

 Conidia are light, minute bodies borne on the ends of byphae, and are 

 thus admirably adapted for wind distribution. Ascospores, being enclosed 

 in perithecia, are primarily dependent, on other means of distribution. Tf 

 a mature perithecium be placed in water, in an hour or so enormous numbers 

 of asci are seen to be collected outside the ostiolum. Thev have been forced 

 out of the perithecium by the swelling of certain hyphal tissue at the base 

 of the asci. No doubt in nature a similar condition exists : here the 

 spores are forced out and remain on the exterior of the perithecia, or are 

 washed on to the ground, leaves, logs, &c, and when dry may be carried 

 by wind, insects, or other agency to some distance from their source. 



Technical Description op the Species. 



Although a large number of species have been described, five only are 

 definitely known tu occur in New Zealand ; of these, four are endemic, 

 and one occurs also in Australia and Tasmania. 



Cordyceps* (Fries) Link, HandbJc., vol. 3, p. 347, 1833 (emended). 



Sphaeria § Cordyceps Fries, Syst. Myc, vol. 2, p. 323, 1823 ; Torrubia 

 Lev. Tulasne in Fung. Carp., vol. 3, p. 5, 1865. 



Stromataf arising from a sclerotium composed of mycelial tissue within 

 the bodies of insects (rarely in other fungi), simple or branched ; sterile 

 below, fertile on upper portion. 



Perithecia immersed or superficial, seated on or in fertile portion of 

 stroma ; spherical, oval, flask-shaped, &c. ; ostiolate. 



Asci cylindric, 8-spored, hyaline, distal end capitate ; paraphyses absent. 



* The name Cordyceps was first used by Fries as the name of a tribe of the 

 Pyrenomycetes, including the genera Cordyceps and Xylaria. Torrubia was first used 

 by Leveille in manuscript in the Paris Museum Herbarium, and was later adopted by 

 Tulasne (I.e.). 



f Stromata : This term is used very loosely by the various mycologists who have 

 worked on this genus ; as here used it includes both fertile and sterile portions of the 

 clubs. 



