78 M. C. COOKE ON NETTLE STEMS AND THETR MICRO-FUNGI. 



closely by means of a two-iiicli objective, these bottle-shaped bodies 

 will be detected having two forms, one conoidal with a short neck, 

 and one flattened with* a longer acute neck. These are two forms 

 of the same fungus. The former contains the asci and sporidia, 

 the latter free bodies, much more numerous and minute, which are 

 spermatia. There is still some confusion in the names which are 

 applied to these two forms. It is generally admitted that the acute 

 form, containing spermatia, is the Sphceria acuta of Hoffman, but 

 not a complete or perfect Sphjeria, and hence called by Berkeley 

 Aposphceria acuta. The other form, which contains the asci, is re- 

 garded as the perfect condition of the same fungus, and some 

 authors apply to it the name of Sphceria acwto, whilst others regard 

 it as the Sphceria coniformis of Fries, and apply to it that name. 

 Whichever name is adopted, all seem at least to be agreed that the 

 two forms represent the spermogones and ascophores of one and 

 the same fungus. If the flattened form with the acute neck be 

 examined, by crushing one of the perithecia in a drop of water, its 

 interior will be found filled with a mass of very minute, linear, curved 

 bodies, at first attached to delicate pedicels, and these, produced 

 from the inner wall of the perithecia, are the spermatia. It is pro- 

 bable that they have some function to perform in relation to the 

 fecundation of the sporidia in the other form. The more conoidal, 

 and rather larger perithecia, contain asci, each enclosing eight 

 transparent fusiform sporidia, which, when mature, are divided 

 transversely by numerous septa, and acquire a yellowish tint. 



Some two or three years since Dr. Capron, of Shere, first called 

 our attention to a Sphceria found by him on old nettle stems, 

 in which the perithecia were far less numerous, more imbedded, 

 and usually covered, except the broad gaping mouth, by the 

 cuticle of the stem. In this instance the sporidia are as long as 

 the ascus in which they are contained, and lie side by side in a 

 bundle, without crossing or interlacing each other. These sporidia 

 are threadlike, and divided by transverse septa into a great 

 number of cells, about equal in length to their breadth, and of a 

 yellowish tint. From examination and comparison we became 

 satisfied at the time that this was the species named by Dr. 

 Eabenhorst Sphceria urtica?, but hitherto have only seen it from 

 Shere. This has many points of resemblance to Spharia rnhella, 

 which is also very occasionally found on nettle stems, but there are 

 no red spots, and there is none of the pubescence on the perithecia. 



