IOWA DISCOMYCETES 81 



tinous, externally smooth or minutely granulated (not hairy) ; 

 hymenium at maturity plane or convex; asci cylindrical or cla- 

 vate, operculate, 8-spored, protruding beyond the surface of the 

 hymenium at maturity; spores elliptical, hyaline, smooth or 

 sometimes slightly rough, in one or two rows in the ascus. 



The plants of the genus usually occur on dung of different 

 animals. Five species are here described. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Plants very small, scarcely visible with lens. 



Spores 7 to 8/i long, paraphyses globose. . . A. microsporus. 

 Spores 10 to 13/x long, paraphyses pyriform. . A. granuliformis. 

 Plants 1 to 2 mm. in diameter, easily visible. 



Receptacle cinereous to blackish A. cinereus. 



Receptacle flesh-colored to red. 



Plants commonly on old hemp, paper, etc. . A. testaceus. 



Plants commonly on dung A. carneus. 



*Ascophanus microsporus (Berk & Br.) Phil., Brit. Discom. 

 307. 1887. 



Plate 27, f. n. 



Ascooolus microsporus Berk & Br., Not. Brit. Fungi. No. 1087. 

 Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1865. 



Common in the field both at Iowa City and Mt. Pleasant. 



Ascophanus granuliformis (Crouan) Boud., Ann. Sci. Nat. 

 V. 10: 245. 1869 (reprint p. 55). 



Ascooolus granuliformis Crouan, Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 10: 195. 



1858. 



Plants minute, globose or hemispherical, pale yellowish, trans- 

 lucent, smooth; asci small, very wide, oblong, narrowed at the 

 base, 8-spored; spores hyaline, smooth, elliptical, 10 to 13 by 7^; 

 paraphyses simple or branched, pear-shaped at the apices. 



On cow-dung Decorah, Iowa. E. W. D. Holway. 



The only specimen of this species seen is the one in the Hol- 

 way collection, at Ames, Iowa. Probably not uncommon but 

 easily overlooked. 



The species derives its name from the fact that the plants ap- 

 pear like minute grains on the substratum. 



