NEW OR CRITICAL FUNGI. I5l 



pointed, multiseptate, constricted at the septa, about 200 x 3-5 /x, 

 breaking up into elliptical cells about 10 x B-5 /x while still in the 

 ascus ; paraphyses absent. 



On dead and fallen coriaceous leaves. Brazil, Glaziou, nos. 

 18806, 18811, 18812). 



Differs from Hijpocrella oxyspora in being larger, and in having 

 the component cells of the spores elliptical, and not apiculately 

 fusiform. 



Hypocrella oxyspora Mass. Hypophyllous, scattered, stroma 

 cylindric-globose, surrounded at the base by a radiating, more or 

 less lloccose extension, 2-3 mm. diameter, apex often slightly 

 depressed, apricot-coloured or bright ochraceous, glabrous, fixed by 

 a central point and readily falling away at maturity ; perithecia 

 few in number, broadly ovate, large, ostiola indicated externally 

 by small depressions; asci cylindric-fusiform, apex slightly capitate, 

 not coloured blue with iodine, 200-220 x 12 /x ; spores 8 in number, 

 filiform, arranged in a parallel fascicle slightly twisted on its 

 axis, hyaline, multiseptate, much constricted at the septa, ave- 

 raging 150 x 4-5 /x, breaking up into its component cells before 

 leaving the ascus ; tlie cells vary from being very acutely fusi- 

 form to an almost globose median part abruptly running out at 

 opposite sides into a hair-like apiculus, 18-20 x 4-5 /x; paraphyses 

 absent. 



Aschersonia oxyspora Berk. Decad. Fung. no. 463, in Kew Journ. 

 Bot. vi. 205 (1854) ; Sacc. Syll. iii. no. 3221. 



On the under side of green leaves of some Myrsinea. Lower 

 part of India [Hooker d- Thomson). 



The fungus recorded for Brazil by Berkeley under the name of 

 Aschersonia oxyspora in Journ. Linn. Soc. xv. 394, and in Dec. 

 Fung. no. 615* (Kew Journ. Bot. viii. (1856) ), is Hypocrella 

 ochracea. 



Superficially resembling Hypocrella discoidea (B. & Br.) Sacc, 

 from Ceylon, but quite distinct from this and every other species in 

 the peculiar shape of the cells into which the spores become broken 

 up. The early breaking up of the spores into their component 

 cells, and the subsequent disappearance of the asci, leaving the 

 broken-up spores free in the perithecia, led Berkeley into the 

 mistake of placing the present species in the genus Aschersonia. 

 In fact, I am almost certain that I have seen conidia on the surface 

 of young stromata resembling the cells of the broken-up ascospores 

 in form in the present species. On the other hand, an examination 

 of a portion of Montague's type of Aschersonia taitensis Mont., the 

 species on which the genus Aschersonia was founded, certainly has 

 the young stromata covered with a dense stratum of fusiform spores ; 

 the primordia of perithecia were also very evident in the substance 

 of the stroma, hence in all probability the genus Aschersonia will 

 prove to be nothing more than the conidial form of Hypocrella : but 

 in the event of this being proved, the name Aschersonia should be 

 adopted for the genus, as having priority over Hypocrella. 



Berkeley's type of Aschersonia oxyspora examined. It will be 

 observed that the microscopic measurements given under the 



