NOTES ON XYLARIAS 



We continue our consideration of foreign Xylarias, and trust that 

 those residing in tropical countries, particularly, will collect and send 

 us such as they find. 



Xylarias are abundant everywhere, especially in the tropics, but 

 the species are less known than those of most any other section of my- 

 cology. They grow usually on wood, sometimes in the ground, and 

 may be known at sight, being black, carbonous plants that can not 

 be mistaken. If you will look around you will find many Xylarias. 



XYLARIA SCOPIFORMIS, FROM J. A. STEVENSON, 

 PORTO RICO (Fig. 1001). Clubs slender, with an acute point 4-5 cm. 

 long, 2 mm. broad, fragile, almost entirely carbonous, 

 with scanty, white stroma (or none). Usually 

 simple, rarely branched. Stipe filiform, \-\Yi cm - 

 with a small pad of dark pubescence at base. 

 Perithecia partially imbedded, forming a nodu- 

 lar, moniform club. Spores 5 x 10 rarely 6 x 12. 



This seems frequent in American tropics. We 

 have it abundantly from Cuba. We take for it the 

 only sure name we know and our figure is from the 

 type. It was distributed by Kunze and cited by 

 Montagne, though we believe not formally de- 

 scribed under this name. 



Fig. 1001. 



SPECIMENS. Stevenson, Porto Rico (3483); Torrend, Brazil (384); Lloyd, Cuba (54) I 

 Rick, Brazil (408); Mousset, Java (39). 



SYNONYMS. Xylaria caespitulosa, Cesati from his type at Kew although Cooke's figure 

 (127) has not the most remote suggestion of it. It is probable that the old Xylaria tuberosa, named 

 by Persoon from the Gaudichaud voyage, is the earliest name, but the type is young and doubtful, 

 t also has a forked club and Xylaria scopiformis is usually simple. It is also probably Xylaria gra- 

 illima of Fries' description, but not as understood by Berkeley and Montagne. It was included in 

 'hiessen's work as a variety, tuberosa, of Xylaria Hypoxylon, the varietal name taken from Persoon 

 nd for me no form of Xylaria Hypoxylon. Xylaria inaequalis, Berkeley, the cotype at Paris which 

 eems correct, is this plant, although, unless I have made some error in my photographing, there is 

 ome confusion as to the specimens so labeled at Kew. 



XYLARIA PARTITA, FROM J. A. STEVENSON, PORTO 

 RICO (Fig. 1002). Stem simple or branching, or as in specimen 

 photographed with 

 the club, proliferous. 

 Clubs 1/2 to 1 1/2 cm. 

 long, i mm. thick, 

 black, fragile, nodu- 

 lar, with a filiform, 

 smooth stipe. Spores 

 5-6 x 10-12. 



We have con- 

 cluded that we will 

 name and label the 

 specimens of Xylaria Fig. 1002. 



for which we are un- 

 able to find names, and not fill our museum with unnamed specimens 

 as we have in the Polypores. We have a feeling, however, that 

 Xylaria partita is only a branching, proliferous form of Xylaria 



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