MOLLISIA. 205 



MOLLISIA. Fries, (emended), (figs. 18-23, p. 156). 



Ascophore superficial, sessile, glabrous, minute ; cortex 

 parenchymatous ; asci cylindric-clavate, apex usually nar- 

 rowed, 4 8-spored ; spores irregularly 2-seriate, elongated, 

 narrowly elliptical or fusoid, smooth, hyaline, continuous oi- 

 l-septate; paraphyses present. 



Mollisia, Fries, Syst. Myc., ii. p. 137; Phil., Brit. Disc., 

 p. 171 ; Sacc., Syll., viii. p. 321 (all in part). 



Epiphytic ; growing on wood, herbaceous stems, leaves, 

 fruits, &c. 



Most closely allied to Pseudopeziza, but distinguished by 

 the ascophore being superficial and not truly erumpent, as 

 in the last-named genus. Belonidium differs in the 3-many- 

 septate spores. Humaria differs in having the ascophore 

 fleshy, and in growing on the ground. 



* On wood, branches, or bark. 



Mollisia depressa. Mass. 



Gregarious or crowded, fixed by a central point, sessile, 

 discoid, plane or slightly convex, margin scarcely raised, 

 34 mm. across ; disc umber-brown, margin paler, glabrous ; 

 excipulum formed of septate, interwoven, hyaline hyphae, 

 passing into true parenchymatous tissue at the cortex, cells 

 mostly hexagonal, 1420 fi across ; asci cylindrical, 8-spored; 

 spores 1 -seriate, hyaline, continuous, often 1-2-guttulate, 

 elliptical, ends obtuse, 18-21 x 12-13 p.; paraphyses septate, 

 clavate, 7-8 p. thick at the brownish tip. 



Peziza depressa, Phil., in Mycogr., fig. 392; Brit. Disc., 

 p. 101. 



Humaria depressa, Sacc., Syll., viii. n. 578. 



On dead branches of willow on damp ground. 



Authentic specimen from Phillips examined. 



Cup 1-2 lines broad. This adheres to the wood by a 

 broadish base, and while moist the whole under side is 

 pressed against the wood. The disc is convex ; the margin 

 acute, and a little paler. (Phillips.) 



The dry specimens after soaking were whitish or pallid. 



