374 THORN V. THISTLES. [December, 



VI. ASCOMYCETES. 



A. Asci persistent. 

 Suborder 1. Elvellacei. Carnose, waxy, or tremelloid. Hy- 

 menium exposed, very rarely nearly closed. 



2. Tuberacei. Hypogeous. Hymenium mostly complicated. 



3. Phacidiacei. Hard or coriaceous. Hymenium at length 

 exposed. Disc orbicular, or very narrow and linear, surrounded 

 by the obtuse or inflected margin. 



4. Sphceriacei. Perithecia opening by a distinct punctiform, 

 or short linear ostiolum. Asci mostly springing from the walls. 



B, Asci often evanescent. 



5. Perisporiacei. Perithecia free, often surrounded by vari- 

 ously shaped threads. Asci springing from the base. 



6. Onygenei. Receptacle clavseform. Asci springing from 

 threads, which traverse its cavity. Sporidia at length pulveru- 

 lent. 



In the above classification, the order given to the different 

 divisions and subdivisions by Mr. Berkeley is reversed, and the 

 higher tribes are placed first in order, descending in the scale, 

 instead of ascending as he does. 



In my next Chapter I propose to illustrate the Suborders, by 

 giving descriptions of some of the common and more interesting 

 species belonging to each. 



Mosshurnford, Nov. 11, 1859. 



THOENS V. THISTLES. 



I think the following extract from Hasselquist^s ' Travels in 

 the Holy Land ' (p. 289) may be interesting to your correspon- 

 dents Mr. Hind and S. B. 



" Of Thor'tis mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. — We know 

 very few of the Thorns mentioned in the Scriptures. The Rest- 

 harrow {Ononis spinosa), that most pernicious and prickly plant, 

 covers entire fields and plains in Egypt and Palestine. I make 

 no doubt but this is referred to in some parts of the Holy Scrip- 

 ture ; I shall leave philologists to determine which of the Thorns 



