BY D. McALPIxME. 



105 



internally steel-gray, smooth, up to 9 mm. high, and 8 mm. across 

 mouth, rigid when dry, flexible when moist; mai-gin slightly 

 revolute at maturity. 



Peridiola or sporangia black-lead-like, discoid, irregularly oval 

 in shape, surface slightly wrinkled, with distinct umbilicus, about 

 2 mm. dia., with white elastic cord stretching to 7 mm., and 

 attaching it to inner wall of peridium. Sometimes the sporangia 

 are attached to outside wall of peridium. 



Spores colourless, globose or sub-globose, 24 fi dia., or 24-2/ x 

 21-24 fi, wall sometimes 3 jj. broad. 



Gregarious, in clusters on cow-dung in March. Near Mercey- 

 road, Homebush, Sydney, N.S.W. (Maiden). 



The generic nature of this fungus is seen in the three-layered 

 peridium shown in fig. 2, and in the sporangia being umbilicate 

 in the centre of one side. The wall of the peridium is composed 

 of three layers as seen in microscopic section, an outer dark 

 bi'own layer about 56 /x thick, an inner paler brown layer about 

 34 /x thick, and a central layer comparatively transparent and 

 loose in texture like a central medulla or pith about 1 1 2 jn thick 

 The average thickness of the entii-e wall is about 200 fi. 



Several species of this genus have been found on dung in 

 Australia, but differ from, this one in various respects. 



C. baileyi, Mass., is externally tomentose and cinnamon colour, 

 and the spores are only 18-20 x 15-16 /x. 



C fimicola, Berk., is minutely velvety and umber-coloured, and 

 sporangia are of the same colour, while C. fimetarnis, DC, is 

 tawny-rufous and externally velvety. 



The specific name is given from the appearance of the sporangia 



Pho.ma stenospora, n.sp. 



(Plate XI., figs. 13-15.) 



Spots small to largish, roughly oval, grey, with distinct reddish- 

 brown margin. 



Perithecia on upper surface, minute, black, punctiform, semi- 

 immersed, globular to oval, opening by pore, 112-280 /x diameter. 



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