H2 NATURAL HISTOEY BULLETIN 



hymenium at first concave, becoming plane with the margin often 

 a little elevated; asci clavate, 8-spored; spores crowded in the 

 ascus, elliptical, a little curved, 3-septate, at first hyaline becom- 

 ing pale brown, 15 to 20 by 5/*,, slightly constricted at the septa; 

 paraphyses filiform, thickened above and forming a brown epi- 

 thecium. 



On old wood of oak, Mt. Pleasant. 



The plants are very similar in general appearance to those of 

 Patellaria atrata (Hedw.) Fries but appear brown with trans- 

 mitted light rather than bluish as in that species. Also the 

 spores are very different being much smaller and brown. One 

 collection of the species was made but in considerable quantity. 



HYSTEROPATELLA Rehm, Rabenh. Krypt. Fl. 1" : 367. 1896. 



Apothecia at first buried becoming erumpent, sessile, linear, 

 straight or bent, simple or branched, later elliptical or roundish, 

 often becoming patelliform, black; asci ovate or very broad, 8- 

 spored ; spores elongated, straight or curved, usually 4-celled, at 

 first hyaline, becoming brownish. 



The plants of this genus stand intermediate between those of 

 the HysterinecR on the one side and the Patellariacex on the other. 

 They are at first hysteriform the lips expanding until they be- 

 come boat-shaped and under favorable conditions of moisture 

 entirely patelliform at least in some of the species included here 

 with this genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Spores elliptical. 



Spores about 15 by 4/u S. prostii. 



Spores about 23 by 8^ 3. elliptica. 



Spores clavate H. clavispora. 



Hysteropatella prostii (Duby) Rehm, Rabenh. Krypt. Fl. 

 I 3 : 367. 1896. 



Hysterium prostii Duby. Bot. Gall. ed. 2. 719. 1830. 



Phmts gregarious or scattered, at first hysteriform, .5 to 1 mm. 

 in length, lips soon spreading becoming boat-shaped, especially 

 when moist ; asci broad, ovate. 8-spored, about 50 by 10/x ; spores 

 slightly curved, pale brownish when mature, 3-septate, elliptical, 

 15 by 4/t. 



