ECHINELLA. 305 



PiroUaea vectis, Sacc., Syll., viii. n. 1605 ; Phil., Brit, Disc., 

 p. 284, pi. viii., fig. 52. 



On dead stems of Centaurea nigra. 



Type specimen examined. 



For some unexplained reason, Phillips placed this species 

 in Saccardo's genus Pirottaca, which is characterised by 

 having continuous spores. Phillips translates Saccardo's 

 generic character, and says "sporidia continuous," then in 

 the specific diagnosis of his only species, says " sporidia 

 1 to 3-septate." In the Sylloge viii. n. 1605 Saccardo has 

 retained the present species in his genus Pirottaea, thus 

 following Phillips, whose description he has copied; but 

 has at the same time endeavoured to reconcile the anomaly 

 of including a species with septate spores in a genus 

 characterised by having continuous spores, as follows, 

 " sporidiis (spurie), 1-3-septatis." 



Echinella setulosa. Mass. & Crossl. 



Ascophores scattered or gregarious, sessile, at first quite 

 closed and spherical, gradually expanding until almost quite 

 plane \vith the extreme margin slightly incurved, often 

 irregular and the margin wavy, up to 1 mm. across, disc 

 grey, sometimes tinged pink, externally blackish-olive, 

 margin whitish, setulose ; excipulum composed of hyaline 

 very much interwoven hyphae about 4 //, thick ; cortex 

 distinctly parenchymatous, towards the base the cells 

 are irregularly polygonal, and sooty-olive, 8-10 diameter, 

 becoming smaller and with a tendency to be arranged in 

 parallel lines upwards, and running out at the margin into 

 thin-walled, slightly clavate, usually continuous, pale hairs, 

 a few such hairs are scattered over the entire external 

 surface ; asci narrowly clavate, apex pointed, pedicel stout, 

 often crooked, 8-spored; spores arranged in a parallel fascicle, 

 hyaline, elongated, narrowly cylindric-fusoid, usually bent, 

 5-septate at maturity, 38-45 x 2 5-3 /x ; paraphyses rather 

 stout, hyaline, cylindrical, about 3 ^ thick. 



On old decorticated stems of Calluna vulgaris. 



Type specimen examined. 



Superficially resembling Mollisia cinerea, but on careful 

 examination with a good pocket-lens the ascophore, more 

 especially at the margin, is seen to be minutely pilose. 



VOL. TV. x 



