SPH.ERIAOEI. 



[ 703 ] 



SPILERIACEI. 



of the polyme>rphous characters of the asco- 

 phorous forms, but from tlie circumstance 

 tliat it has recently been shown, as was sus- 

 pected before, that there is a rehitiouship 

 existing between them and the supposed 

 genera of Coniomycetoiis Fungi of similar 

 habit. The.'se last are in fact mostly forms 

 of Sphferiaceous Fungi, as is indicated 

 under the heads Coxiomycetes, Ascomy- 



CETES, DOTHIDEA, SpH^RIA, CytISPORA, 



Septoria. Our treatment of this family 

 is very imperfect, the knowledge of them 

 being contined to few persons, and much of 

 it lying scattered in fi-agments. British 

 genera : 



* Stfoma erect. 



Claviceps. Stroma simple, clfivate ; peri- 

 thecia superficial, in a distinct layer at the 

 summit of the clavate stroma ; asci tubular ; 

 spores very long, multiseptate. 



X;/!aria. Stroma simple or branched; 

 perithecia spread all over, often wanting at 

 the summit, olack ; asci eight-spored ; spores 

 uniseptate. 



Fiff. 650. 



Fig. 651. 



So o«t 



Ml' 





,oaa 



Fig. 652. 



Xylaria guianensis. 

 Fig. 6.50. A stroma. Nat. size. 

 Fig. 6.51. Vertical section of the same. Nat. size. 

 Fig. 652. Section of a perithecium. Magnified 10 dia- 

 meters. 



Thamnomyces. Stroma branched, shrubby, 

 or stalk-like ; perithecia formed from tlie 

 stroma, more or less naked ; asci tubular ; 

 spores simple, ovate. 



** Stroma hetxoeen ei-ect and horizontal. 

 Poronia. Sti'oma cup-shaped, stipitate 



or ses.sile, margined ; peritliecia in tlie disk, 

 superficial; ostioleseven sliglitly prominent. 



*** Stroma horizontal. 



Hifpocrea. Stroma distinct from the 

 raatri.x, tubercular; perithecia immersed; 

 asci filiform ; spores simple or uniseptate. 



Hypoxylon. Stroma distinct from the 

 matrix, at first covered with a floccose 

 mealy veil ; perithecia black ; asci linear- 

 clavate; spores subseptate, expelled in a 

 cloud of black powder. 



Fig. 653. 



Fig. 654. 



c':^^' 



Xylaria grammica. 

 Pig. 658. Natural size 

 Fig. 654. Horizontal section. Magnified 5 diameters. 



Biatrype. Stroma partly formed from 

 the matrix, not distinct ; perithecia deep- 

 seated, produced into a long neck, and 

 frequently a beak ; spores simple and pel- 

 lucid. 



Dothidea. Perithecia uudistinguishable 

 from the stroma ; asci collected into a glo- 

 bose nucleus with a neck above, leadino- to 

 an ostiolate papilla. 



**** Stroma loantiny ; the perthecia often 

 seated on a tuberculous, crusiaceous, bys- 

 soid, macular mycelium. 



Nectria. Perithecia free, membranous, 

 flaccid, brightly coloured, with a pale 

 papilla, nucleus pale ; asci eight-spored ; 

 spores pellucid. 



