PEZIZALES 



345 



domiciliana (Schultz, 1927) complete their development without a trace of 

 female sexual organs. Until detailed investigations of these species 

 are at hand it will be impossible to interpret them. 



In any case, it is characteristic for the Ascobolaceae-Pezizaceae group 

 that in both families there appears a degeneration of sexuality which runs 

 parallel and in the same direction. In contrast to this parallelism in 

 degeneration of sexuality, they are entirely distinct in morphology of 

 their fructification. 



Fundamentally they differ only in the behavior of their asci, which 

 in the Ascobolaceae project above the hymenium at maturity, while in the 



arch 



arch. 



asf — — ; 





7 



arch 



Fig. 229. — Humaria granulata. Development of the fructification. 1. Ascogonium, 

 arch. 2. The same surrounded by sheath hyphae. 3. Autogamous nuclear pairing in the 

 upper cell of ascogonium, asf. (1, 3 X 415; 2 X 285; after Blackman and Fraser, 1906.) 



Pezizaceae, they retain their position between the paraphyses. The 

 Ascobolaceae, however, in the outward form of the fructification, have 

 remained very monotonous and have developed very little beyond the 

 disc form, while the Pezizaceae have attained a higher anatomical differ- 

 entiation and form latex vessels which secrete a colorless or white solu- 

 tion, which in Plicaria succosa turns yellow in the air, in P. saniosa blue. 

 They also undergo distinct morphological development to stipitate, 

 epigaeous cups, or to sphaerical, hypogaeous masses. 



The simpler genera, as Lachnea and Humaria, may be placed close to 

 the Ascobolaceae; they form flat, patelliform fructifications whose 

 periphery is crenate or torn. In the epigaeous series, however, as 

 Pustularia, Discina and Acetabula, a stipe becomes more and more 



