CAPSULAR FUNGI— PYRENOMYCETES 201 



sections to the rank of genera, and distributing them over the 

 Hyalosporae, Phaeosporac, Bidymosporac. That is to say, we 

 have advocated the negation of carpological characters as of 

 primary generic importance in favour of their adoption in sub- 

 sidiary classification. Bimerosporium differs from Asterina in 

 possessing a globose, and not a flattened perithecium, whereas 

 the fructification follows the Asterina type. Another import- 

 ant genus of the Perisporieae is Meliola, which to a certain 

 extent is the analogue of some of the genera of the Erysiijhcae : 

 (1) by the possession of an effused mycelium, or conidia-bearing 

 subiculum, but in this genus more strongly developed, and of 

 the nature of black moulds, or Dcmaticae, and not of the Muce- 

 dineae ; (2) by the presence of appendages surrounding the 

 perithecia ; and (3) sometimes by their parasitic habit on living 

 leaves, — differing, however, in the fructification, inasmuch as 

 the sporidia are normally large, septate, and coloured. The 

 genus Pcrisp)orium has elongated triseptate sporidia, which 

 break up freely at the joints into the component cells. In 

 this respect there is analogy to a genus of Sphacriaccac, that of 

 Sporormia, which latter, except for its peri- 

 thecia having a distinct mouth, might be 

 allied with Perisporiicm. It may be stated 

 in general terms that the Perisporieae in- 

 cludes all the Perisporiaceae which do not 

 fall into the first subfamily, that of the 

 Urysipheae ; for the third subfamily, that 

 of the Capnodieae, includes only two aberrant 

 genera which have little definite alliance with 

 the Perisporiaceae. The genus Capnodium 

 is distinguished by elongated large peri- 

 thecia, which are often branched, and usually 

 opening at the apex with a large fringed 

 orifice (Fig. 90). These are seated upon and ^^^ ^,,, _|v,itiiecia of 

 amongst a dense subiculum of closely jointed Cupnndium, with 

 or moniliform black hyphae, so as to form '''P"^' ^^' 

 large velvety patches, and are possibly, in some instances, the 

 more complete developments of moulds belonging to the genus 

 Fiimago. Scorias is allied to Cajmodiuin, but thicker and more 

 spongy, and the perithecia somewhat clavate. Asci tetrasporous. 



