340 University of California Publications in Botany [Vol.6 



not figured by Tulasne) but are shorter, fewer, and more blunt than 

 in the ^Mattirolo specimen and than illustrated by Fischer. 



There is no indication now of rose-color in the cut surface of the 

 Californian material, but at the time of collection, this, according to 

 Harkness, was very conspicuous. 



The differences between these plants and those of Europe do not 

 seem sufficient for specific separation, but the Californian specimens 

 may at least be considered a geographical variety until the extreme 

 variation in the whole genus is worked out more thoroughly. 



Hydnobolites Tul. 



Ascocarp subglobose, generally lobed or folded ; cortex pseudo- 

 parenchymatous, changing to hyphal tissue toward hymenium, or 

 whole structure of ascocarp more or less pseudoparenchjnnatous ; 

 canals of ascocarp labyrinthine, penetrating deeply into gleba, lined 

 with pseudoparenchyma ; opening generally between folds of asco- 

 carp surface ; venae internae wanting ; asci somewhat irregularly ar- 

 ranged between canals, ellipsoid to pyrif orm, 8-spored ; spores globose, 

 alveolate, angles of alveoli projecting outward as spines ; spores irregu- 

 larly arranged in ascus. 



This genus, which Fischer (1897a) formerly placed under the 

 family Terfeziaceae of the order Plectascales, he has since removed to 

 the Tuberales and placed in phylogenetic line with Tuher. The spores 

 of the species in this genus resemble those of Delastria rosea in having 

 the angles of the alveoli projecting in the form of needles, but the asci 

 are 8-spored rather than 4-spored. The pseudoparenchymatous struc- 

 ture of the canal walls as well as, occasionally, of the whole ascocarp 

 tissue, is characteristic, but is approached in several Californian 

 spT^cies of Tuher in which the venae internae become more or less 

 pseudoparenchymatous. 



Hydnobolites californicus Fischer 



Plate 30, fig. 26 

 Ed. Fischer, in Fedde, Repertorium 7 (1909), p. 194. 



Ascocarp of gristly consistency, at first dirty-white, becoming 

 brownish at iruiturity ; 0.5-3 cm. in diam. ; slightly to very irregularly 

 folded, canals opening to surface in folds; surface bearing occasional 

 short septate liairs of 2 or 3 cells; pseudo])arenchymatous cortex of 

 ascocarp continuing as border of canals, 8/i, thick; cells irregular in 

 size, inner generally sinalhn- than outer, changing somewhat gradu- 

 ally to hyphal tissue of interior ; hyphae of latter coarse, 4-10/a thick ; 

 canals narrow, mostly long, more or less labyrinthine; asci scattered 



