SOME CENTRAL AMERICAN PYRENOMYCETES. 



By CHARLES L. SMITH. 



The Pyrenomycetes are readily distinguished, for the most 

 part, from other cryptogamous plants. The name signifies 

 "fire fungi" and many species do give the appearance of be- 

 ing charred to parts of branches, bark and pieces of decaying 

 wood. This distinguishmg character will not do for all, for 

 many are small and scattered so that no such appearance is 

 produced on the substratum, yet one soon learns to distinguish 

 such forms to be Pyrenomycetes. As the name might indi- 

 cate, they are generally black, or nearly so. But we must 

 notice two groups which are noted either for being usually of 

 a bright color or for developing generally an abundance of 

 mycehum. 



The Hypocreaceee are distinguished by being of some other 

 color than black, often of some bright color as red, blue, etc., 

 and by being fleshy or leathery-membranaceous with a waxy 

 or, at least, soft stroma, when one is present. The Hypocrea- 

 ceee are never carbonaceous whereas the rest of the Pyreno- 

 mycetes generally are quite perceptibly so. The blights 

 (Erysipheae) produce commonly a conspicuous white myce- 

 lium sprinkled over with small black or dark brownish bodies 

 (the perithecia) and are commonly found parasitic on the 

 leaves of many species of phenogamous plants. 



Saccardo defines the P^'renomycetes as, — Fungi furnished 

 with asci-bearing perithecia, generally growing on plants, sel- 

 dom on animals and never truly terrestrial. They have many 

 secondary or metagenetic phases composing families of the 

 Sphseropsideae, Melanconieee and Hyphomycetes.* 



1 Sacc. Syll. I, p. i. 



