ASCOBOLEAE. 155 



Farn. VI. ASCOBOLEAE. 



Ascopbore sessile, sometimes narrowed to a very short 

 stem-like base, fleshy or subgelatinous; disc plane or convex, 

 and rough with the projecting tips of the asci at maturity ; 

 excipulum parenchymatous, cortical cells large, irregularly 

 polygonal ; asci usually broadly clavate, dehiscing by an 

 apical operculum, 8-many-spored ; spores continuous, elon- 

 gated, rarely globose, hyaline or coloured; paraphyses 

 present. 



For the most part growing on old dung of animals in shady 

 places ; sometimes on earth or decaying vegetable matter. 



The soft, fleshy, subgelatinous texture ; the papillate hy- 

 menium, arising from the protruding asci, which are always 

 broadly clavate : or the growth of nearly all species on the 

 dung of animals, are ready characters by which to distin- 

 guish the plants of this order from Pezizae. They rarely 

 exceed 2 lines in breadth, the majority being much less. 

 (Phillips.) 



The members of the present group rank among the most 

 beautiful and interesting of the Discomycetes, and at the 

 same time it is certain that they are rnoi'e imperfectly known 

 than those of any other family. The reason of this is on 

 account of the extreme delicacy and minuteness of most 

 species, many being practically nothing more than a semi- 

 liquid point of jelly in consistency, and unless all the details 

 are drawn up from the living specimen the diagnosis is 

 certain to be more or less imperfect. To those who have the 

 opportunity, the present group offers an opportunity for 

 adding vastly to our knowledge of these beautiful organisms. 

 Boudier's beautifully illustrated monograph of the Ascoboleae 

 would be indispensable in contemplating a serious and 

 detailed study of the group. 



