188 



prominences are found to be the mouths of the ijerithecia. 

 Avhich are immersed in the flesh, and within which sporidia 

 are formed in little sacs termed asci, the sporidia being 

 very similar in form and size to the conidia, or summer 

 fruit. In consequence of this discovery, Isaria farinosa has 

 been removed from the Hyphomycetes and placed among the 

 ascigerous fungi. A similar history is presented by another plant 

 formerly regarded as autonomous, Trichoderma viride ; ic consists 

 of small, green spots, or patches, very common on rotten sticks, 

 and like the former has been traced by Tulasne to an ascigerous 

 condition, and is now placed in the Sphoeriaceous Genus Hypocrea, 

 under the name of H. Rufa. The list of Hyphomycetes has been 

 further curtailed by the reduction of Stilbum aurantiacum to a 

 genus called Sphoerostilbe, by Tulasne, the stems of the former 

 becoming, at a later period, clothed at the base with ascigerous 

 conceptacles common to the Sphoeriacei. Another instance of 

 polymorphism may be seen on dead sticks which are frequently 

 covered Avith red spots about the size of the heads of large pins ; 

 these spots are quite smooth at first, and were described as a 

 fungus under the name of Tubercularia. Further observation, 

 however, showed that these spots became at a later period rough 

 with little prominent bodies, which, on being submitted to the 

 microscope, were found to be filled Avith fruit contained in asci. 

 The plant was thus turned over to the Sphoeriacei, and it i.s 

 probable that the other species of Tubercularia will share the 

 same fate. 



The facts mentioned are enough to show that a vast number 

 of fungi, especially among the Hyphomycetes, once considered as 

 complete in themselves, are merely early phases of more highly 

 developed species, and that the total numbers recorded in 

 descriptive works are far in excess of the truth ; but it requires 

 the patience and acumen of men like Tulasne to connect the sus- 

 pected plants with their later and more perfect conditions. 



It now remains only to allude to the characters which die- 

 tinguish the Family Hyphomycetes. 



