Notes on North American Hypocreales — ff. Nectria Pezlza* 



Fred J. Seaver 

 (with plate 15) 



Sphaeria Peziza was described by Tode in 1791, and while 

 there is probably no type specimen in existence, the illustrations 

 and descriptions by Tode seem, from our observations, quite defin- 

 itive of the species. While many species of the present and 

 closely related genera cannot be distinguished except by a close 

 microscopic study of the spore-characters, thus rendering illustra- 

 tions of gross characters, only, valueless, this is not true of the 

 one here treated. Having observed and studied this species for 

 the past five years in the field, covering an extensive range of 

 locality, we find that there are few members of the genus, if any, 

 which are more easily recognized on external characters. Add to 

 this, on microscopic examination, the broadly-elliptical, septate, 

 non-constricted spores with a distinct oil-drop in each cell, and the 

 species would seem to be very well marked. 



w 



This is probably one of the most common and widely distri- 

 buted species of non-stromatic NecUia^ and, as is usually the case 

 with species which are common and subject to more or less 

 variation, has been much studied, greatly misunderstood, and many 

 times redescribed. The perithecia in this species are large, com- 

 pared with those of other species of the genus, ranging from one 

 third to one half millimeter in diameter and nearly globose, espe- 

 cially when moist, with the ostiolum only slightly prominent The 

 color is from pale to deep orange, becoming deeper on drying, but 

 often fading with age to w^vy pale yellowish or whitish. The 

 plants are usually widely scattered but occasionally crowded, 

 giving somewhat the appearance of a stromatic form, but no true 

 stroma is present. The perithecia produce no well-developed 

 hairs but are often clothed with a growth of mycelial threads, 

 which character seems to vary with conditions. Specimens col- 



* Notes on North American Hypocreales — I, appeared in Mycologia i; X9-22. 

 //. 2. 1909. 



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