SACCOBOLUS. 



171 



8-spored ; spores aggregated into an oblong group and 

 enclosed in a special membrane near the top of the ascus, 

 elliptical, ends rather pointed, sometimes slightly oblique, 

 hyaline at first then becoming blackish- violet and almost 

 opaque by degrees, 15-16 x 8-9 p., epispore generally 

 remaining smooth; paraphyses slender, hyaline, septate, 

 sometimes branched from near the base, tips filiform, tinged 

 with violet. 



On cow and rabbit dung. 



Distinguished by the smalt, somewhat fusiform spores, and 

 the violet, pyriform tips of the paraphyses. 



Specimen in Phil., Elv. Brit., n. 48, examined. 



Saccobolus neglectus. Boudier, Ascob., p. 41, pi. 9, 

 fig. 20 ; Phil., Brit. Disc., p. 295 ; Sacc., Syll., viii. n. 2183. 



Ascophores gregarious, very minute, rarely exceeding 

 .1 mm. diameter, sessile, globose at first, the disc becoming 

 plane or convex, glabrous ; whitish at first, then tinged with 

 grey or lilac, base remaining pale, disc often with a rufous 

 or tawny shade, becoming papillose from the exserted tips of 

 the asci ; cells of excipulum and cortex irregularly polygonal, 

 rather large ; asci broadly clavate, narrowed to a short, stout, 

 crooked pedicel, 8-spored, apex somewhat truncate; spores 

 forming an oblong cluster contained in a special membrane 

 near the apex of the ascus, elliptical, ends rather pointed, 

 hyaline, then passing through violet to violet-brown and 

 almost opaque, 17-20 X 8-9 //,, epispore usually remaining 

 smooth; paraphyses slender, septate, hyaline, simple or 

 branched, often from near the base, tips slightly clavate, 

 enveloped in colourless mucus. 



On dung of sheep, cow, horse, ass, dog, &c. 



Somewhat resembling S. violascens, Boud., but distin- 

 guished by the paraphyses being colourless. 



Saccobolus Kerverni. Boud., Mem. Ascob., p. 39. 

 pi. 8, fig. 18; Phil., Brit. Disc., p. 294; Sacc., Syll., viii. 

 n. 2176. (fig. 11, p. 156). 



Ascophores scattered or crowded, sessile, hemispherical or 

 sometimes slightly elongated vertically, closed at first, the 

 disc becoming plane or slightly convex, fleshy, glabrous, 

 golden-yellow or amber, shining, |-1 mm. diameter; 



