142 25. EPHEBACEAE [86. Thermutis 



25. EPHEBACEAE 



Thallus of entangled hyphae, surrounding and ramifying through the fila- 

 ments of the algal host, giving the appearance of a crustose to foliose or rarely 

 fruticose thallus; apothecia minute, superficial or immersed in the swellings of 

 the algal host. 



The algal hosts are Scytonema and Stigonema. 



A. Apothecia adnate to sessile 



B. Thallus appearing crustose to granulose 92. Porocyphus 



B. Thallus appearing dwarfish fruticose 



C. Spores many in an ascus 87. Zahlbrucknerella 



C. Spores 8 in an ascus 



D. Thallus devoid of differentiation into layers 



E. Paraphyses thickened; spores becoming 1-septate . . 88. Spilonema 

 E. Paraphyses threadlike; spores non-septate ... 86. Thermutis 

 D. Thallus showing more or less differentiation 

 into layers 



E. Spores 1-septate 91. Polychidium 



E. Spores non-septate 90. Leptogidium 



A. Apothecia immersed . . 89. Ephebe 



86. Thermutis E. Fries, Syst. Orb. Veg. 1:302. 1825. 



Thallus of many, thin-walled, septate hyphae, extending longitudinally within 

 the sheath of the host, appearing as many, densely crowded and matted, thread- 

 like branches, devoid of differentiation into layers; apothecia small, adnate to 

 sessile, the disk concave to flat, the exciple colored like the disk; hypothecium 

 hyaline; hymenium hyaline or brownish above; paraphyses unbranched, threadlike; 

 asci oblong-clavate ; spores 8, hyaline, oblong to ellipsoid, non-septate. 



The algal host is Scytonema. 



1. Thermutis velutina (Ach.) E. Fries, Syst. Orb. Veg. 1:302. 1825. 



Lichen velutinus Ach., Lich. Suec. 218. 1798. 



Thallus dark brown, composed of many, slender, wrinkled, densely crowded and 

 matted, threadlike branches; apothecia small, 0.4-0.8 mm. across, lateral, sessile, 

 the disk slightly concave, black, the exciple thick, black, entire, swollen; spores 

 ellipsoid, 10-12 X 5-6.5 ju. 



On rocks, Minnesota. 



87. Zahlbrucknerella Herre, Journ. Wash. Acad. Sci. 2:384. 1912. 



Thallus of many, thin-walled, septate hyphae, extending longitudinally within 

 the sheath of the host, appearing as many, crowded and matted, short branches; 

 apothecia small, closely adnate to sessile, the disk concave to flat, the exciple 

 colored like the disk; hypothecium hyaline; hymenium hyaline or brownish above; 

 paraphyses threadlike, rarely branched; asci oblong-clavate; spores 8-24, hyaline 

 to brownish, spherical to ellipsoid, non-septate. 



The algal host is Scytonema. 



1. Zahlbrucknerella calcarea Herre, Journ. Wash. Acad. Sci. 2:384. 1912. 



Zahlbrucknera calcarea Herre, Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci. 12:129. 1910. 



Thallus as of the genus, appearing as many, crowded and matted, black or 

 blackish brown branches; apothecia rare, minute, the disk concave, blackish 

 brown to black, the exciple usually entire; spores 8-24, usually 18, hyaline to 

 brownish or blackish, ovoid to ellipsoid, or rarely globose, 7.5-12.5 X 4.9-8.5 fx. 



On rocks, California. (Description compiled.) 



88. Spilonema Born., Mem. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherb. 4:226. 1856. 



Thallus of many, thin-walled, septate hyphae, extending longitudinally and 

 often laterally within the sheath of the host, appearing as many suberect, more 



