26o INTRODUCTION TO THE STUD V OF FUNGI 



objection luis been appreciated by Saccardo, who includes all 

 the species in his Sylloge, although he relegates them to an 

 inferior position as " imperfect fungi." 



The Sj)haero23sideae must be considered apart from the 

 Melanconieae, on the fundamental basis that the former possess 

 a distinct perithecium, and the latter are only circumscribed 

 by a modification of the matrix. With this limitation, there- 

 fore, the Sphaeropsideae correspond to the Pyrenomyceteae, 

 although dissevered by the absence of asci and paraphyses. It 

 would be well if authors in future would respect Saccardo's 

 definitions of the fruit in the different orders, by a restriction 

 of the terms. Thus in the Ascomycetes, where the representa- 

 tives of seeds, or the spores, as they are generally termed, are 

 produced within asci, that they are sporidia. When produced 

 naked on basidia, as in the Basidiomycetes or Myxomycetes, 

 they should retain the name of spore. When enclosed in 

 perithecia, but without asci, as in the Sphaeropsideae, then to 

 be termed sporules. But when wholly naked, and without 

 basidia, or receptacle, as in the Hyphomycetes, then to be termed 

 co7iidia. The only modification to this arrangement which 

 approves itself to us is the application of the term sporules to 

 those bodies which are enclosed in a pseudo-perithecium, such 

 as the Melanconieae, as well as those contained within a definite 

 perithecium ; and the restriction of conidia to absolutely 

 naked fruit, in which there is neither perithecium nor semblance 

 of a perithecium, as in the Hyphoinycetes. Practically this 

 means the association of the Melanconieae with the Spihaerop- 

 sideae, in the denomination of sporules, instead of union with 

 the Hyphomycetes under the denomination of conidia. This 

 may be a distinction of little importance, but it is one which 

 appears to commend itself to consideration. 



The Sjjhaeropsidcae, therefore, may be thus defined, as Fungi 

 possessed of a perithecium, but without asci, the sporules, or stylo- 

 spores, being produced internally at the apex of more or less 

 distinct supporting hyphae or pedicels, which, for the sake of 

 distinction, should not be termed basidia, but sporophores. 

 This would obviate any confusion with the spore-bearers of the 

 Basidiomycetes, and the definition would be reduced to " peri- 

 thecia, without asci, enclosing sporules, on more or less distinct 



