MELIOLACEAE 



111 



type are commonly associated with Meliola, but Stevens (1916) 

 omitted them in his classification of approximately 100 Puerto 

 Rican species of Meliola for the reason that he was uncertain of 



their genetic connection. 



Fig. 6S. Structural features of Meliola, a sooty mold. A. Young cleisto- 

 thecium of Meliola circinajis at surface of Carex leaf, surface view. B. 

 Vertical section of A enlarged, showing ascogenous hyphae filling center 

 of stroma. C. Mature cleistocarp of Meliola corallina with basal hyphae 

 and hvphopodia. D. Mature ascospore of M. circinans. E. Germinating 

 ascospore of M. coralVma with hyphopodia on germ tube. {A, B, and D 

 adapted from Graff, C and E from Gaillard.) 



The cleistothecia are unappendaged but may have setae or be 

 partly invested with hyphae. They are usually coal-black. De- 

 tails of their development are quite unknown. In Meliola circi- 

 nans, however, Graff (1932) found that essentially the same proc- 

 esses as in the Erysiphaceae lead to cleistocarp formation. Hy- 



