SPH^RONEMEI. 



[ '05 ] 



SPILEROPHORON. 



a firm globule. The species, which grow 

 upon the surface of decaying plants, are pro- 

 bably onl)' forms belonging to Sphajriaceous 

 genera. 



BiBL. Berk. Bi: Fl ii. pt. 2. 281 ; Ann. 

 N. H. vi. 363, lb. 2. v. 371 ; Fries, Sum. Veget. 

 400. 



SPFL'EK0NE:ME'I.— A family of minute 

 Stylosporous Fungi, growing on bark, or 

 more or less dry stems or leaves, chai'ac- 

 terized by the couceptacle ordinarily burst- 

 ing by a pore or ostiole, or a Ud, to extrude, 

 in most cases, a gelatinous ball of filaments 

 mixed with spores. From recent observa- 

 tions it appears that the genera do not con- 

 sist of independent species, but are forms 

 which occur in combination with Ascomy- 

 cetous forms to complete the whole de- 

 velopment of an individual, — the Sphajro- 

 uemeous genera constituting the stylospo- 

 rous or couidial fruits of Sphaeriacei, &c., 

 corresponding perhaps to the tetraspores 

 found in the Florideous Algee, which also 

 possess proper spores (see Sph^ria). 

 British genera : 



ConiuthyrhiDi. Conceptacle free, mem- 

 branous, opening by an irregular pore at the 

 summit ; spores globular. 



Leptostroma. Conceptacle innate, subum- 

 bouate in the centre, dimidiate, at length 

 falling off, leaving a very thin disk. 



Phoma. Conceptacle ostiolate, very thin, 

 innate, immersed, roimded, with a simple 

 pore ; spores oblong, simple. 



Lepfothyrium. Conceptacle operculate, 

 innate, shield-shaped, not radiate-fibrous : 

 spores spindle-shaped, simple. 



Actinuthyrium. Conceptacle operculate, 

 innate, shield-shaped, radiate-fibrous ; spores 

 spindle-shaped, simple. 



Microthecium. Conceptacle indehiscent, 

 membranous, immersed, endophytic ; spores 

 simple. 



Cryptosporium. Conceptacle membranous, 

 opening u'regularly at the summit ; spores 

 spindle-shaped, simple. 



Sphceronema. Conceptacle homy, innate- 

 superficial, more or less produced into a 

 neck, ostiole sunple ; spores oblong, simple. 

 Acrospermum. Conceptacle leathery ex- 

 ternally, fleshy within, elougate-clavate, 

 ostiole simple ; spores stick-shaped, simple. 

 Diplodia. Conceptacle horny, innate-su- 

 perficial or immersed, perforated by a pore 

 or irregularly opened or ostiolate, ostiole 

 more or less produced ; spores ovoid or 

 ellipsoid, double, then halved into com- 

 pressed-ternate semieUipsoid sporules. 



Hendersonia. Conceptacle fleshy, super- 

 ficially innate or immersed, perforated by a 

 pore, opening irregularly or ostiolate, ostiole 

 more or less produced ; spores globose, cylin- 

 drical, or discoid. 



Septoria. Conceptacle hom^y, innate-im- 

 mersed, rounded, ostiole simple ; spores 

 cylindrical, septate. 



Vermicidaria. Conceptacle bristly, de- 

 pressed, bursting irregularly ; spores minute, 

 linear. 



Neottiospora. Conceptacles immersed ; 

 spores appeudaged at one end with short 

 hyaline threads. 



ProstJiemium. Conceptacle horny, immer- 

 sed, ostiole simple; spores transversely 

 septate, verticillate at the apex of their fila- 

 ments. 



Asteroma, Conceptacle very small, 

 slightly prominent, close, subconfluent, 

 seated on more or less distinct radiating 

 fibrils. 



Angiopoma. Conceptacles free, mem- 

 branous, somewhat horny, cup-shaped, de- 

 hiscing by a cu'cular mouth, provided with 

 a fugacious epiphragm ; spores affixed at 

 the base, stalked, septate. 



Discosia. Conceptacles innate, somewhat 

 carbonaceous, at length coUapsed and plicate, 

 ostiole perforated ; spores fusiform, produced 

 at both ends into a thread-like point. 



Piggotia. Conceptacles very irregulai', 

 thin, obsolete beneath, confluent into a ru- 

 gulose patch, bursting by an irregular crack ; 

 spores on short stalks, largish, obovate, 

 somewhat constricted towards the base. 



Phlyctana. Conceptacle spurious, formed 

 by the blackened epidermis; spores fusi- 

 form, cuspidate, septate, emerging accom- 

 panied by a gelatinous mass. 



Glceosporium. Couceptacle absent ; spores 

 covered only by the cuticle, which separates ; 

 spores stalked, longish, elliptical, simple, 

 exuding a gelatinous tendril. 



Dilophosphora. Conceptacle immersed in 

 a spurious stroma, covered, perforated by a 

 pore ; spores cylindrical, continuous, crow- 

 ded at both ends with radiating filiform 

 appendages. 



Splueropsis. Couceptacle spherical, im- 

 mersed, subinuate, astomous, at length (by 

 the separation of the epidermis) bursting by 

 circumscissUe dehiscence or irregularly. 

 Spores simple. 



SPH^ROPH'ORON, Pers.— Agenus of 

 Epiconiodei (Lichenaceous Lichens). Thal- 

 lus erect, shi'ubby, externally crustaceo-car- 

 tilaginous, internally solid and cottony. 



2z 



