120 



DIE DEUTSCHEN SORDARIEN.* 



Those who have followed the vicissitudes through which the species 

 and genera of ascomycetous fungi have passed, during the last few 

 years, will welcome this monograph, if it be only because, in it they 

 find, a series of plants grouped together which previously were scat- 

 tered over several genera. It is not purposed to discuss the advi- 

 sability or otherwise of accepting the genus Sordaria, suffice it to 

 say that we have here, a number of species possessing many characters 

 in common beside that of their general fimicolous origin, and that 

 they are arranged in a systematic manner, so that in reality it 

 matters but little, whether they be collectively called Sphceria or 

 Sordaria. The author includes 22 species in this enumeration, 

 which previously were scattered over the following genera : — 

 Sphceria, Podospora, Malinvernia, Hypocopra Coprolepa, Sordaria, 

 and Ixocliopsis. 



The work commences with a history of the literature of the sub- 

 ject, from which it appears that the first author to mention a Sor- 

 daria was Persoon in his " Synopsis," p. 64, where we find two 

 varieties of Sphceria Jimeti described. Herr Winter regards Sow- 

 erby's Sphceria stercoraria as a Sporormia. This we venture to 

 think an error. The specimen of S. stercoraria in the Hookerian 

 Herbarium at Kew possesses simple dark-brown sporidia,f and it 

 was determined by Rev. M. J. Berkeley, J who had the opportunity 

 of seeing Sowerby's original specimen. Cesati and De Notaris 

 were the first to employ the genus Sordaria, but since then almost 

 every author has limited it in a different manner. The Morpho- 

 logy of this genus is treated of in some very interesting remarks, 

 upon the Stroma, the Perithecia, and the Fructification. 



The genus itself Herr Winter thus defines — 



" Stroma suberoso crastaceum, vel plerumque nullum, perithecia 

 membranacea, pellucida, asci cylindracei vel ampli, 4 — 128-spori, 

 paraphysibus obvallati, sporidia continua non septata, opaco-nigro- 

 fusca." 



Although usually found upon dung, it is added, these plants may 

 grow upon other vegetable substances ; one is described on wood, 

 another on biotting-paper, and a third upon the lees of wine. The 

 perithecia may be scattered, or crowded, superficial, immersed in the 

 matrix, or imbedded in a stroma, of various shapes, membranaceous, 

 and often diaphanous. The sporidia, simple, round or ovate, brown, 

 opaque, surrounded or not by a gelatinous envelope, or appendiculated. 

 The genus is for convenience divided into three subgenera — 



1. Coprolepa = possessing a stroma. 



2. Hypocopra = without any stroma, but having the sporidia in- 



volved in mucus. 



3. Eusordaria = having appendiculated sporidia. 



* "Die deutschen Sordarien," by George Winter, with 5 plates. Halle, 1873. 

 f F. Currey, " Linnean Transactions," xxiv., p. 318. 

 X F.Curtey, " Linean Transactions," xxv., p. 254. 



