PYRENOMYCETES. 



This order includes those fungi in which the hymenium is inclosed 

 in a subglobose envelope or shell (perithecium), which either remains 

 closed or, more generally, is pierced above with a small, round opening 

 (ostiolum) v hich is often more or less prolonged, so as to form a short 

 tube or bea v. 



From tie lower part, and often from the sides of the inner surface 

 of the perithecium, spring numerous transparent, membranaceous sacs 

 (asci) containing minute, globose, oblong, cylindrical or thread-like 

 bodies (sporidia). 



Between the asci arise usually, slender, filiform bodies (paraph- 

 yses) whose office is not well understood. They have been supposed 

 to be abortive asci. 



The perithecia are either developed directly from the mycelium, 

 separate and distinct from each other (simple), or are more or less im- 

 bedded in a carnose, coriaceous or carbonaceous substance called the 

 stroma (compound). The stroma assumes various forms, effused, pul- 

 vinate, tubercular or vertically elongated, cylindrical or dendroid. 



Often the stroma consists of the slightly altered substance of the 

 wood or bark. 



The surface of the stroma before the development of the peri- 

 thecia is often clothed with a hyphomycetous growth, producing aerial 

 spores (conidia). Also, accompanying or preceding the ascigerous 

 perithecia, are others (spermogonia or pycnidia) producing in their 

 hymenial cavities spores (sporules) borne on pedicels and not in asci. 



The conidia, spermogonia and pycnidia are supposed to be gener- 

 ically connected with the ascigerous perithecia, but this matter is not 

 yet well understood. 



Dr. Winter, whose systematic arrangement we have mostly 

 adopted, divides the Pyrenomycetes into the following suborders. 



1. PERISPORIACEJ]. Perithecia with the ostiolum obscure or 

 wanting, coriaceous or brittle-carbonaceous, opening irregularly, gen- 

 erally without any stroma, but mostly seated on a well developed, 

 superficial mycelium. 



2. HYPOCREACEiE. Perithecia with an ostiolum, and with the 

 stroma (when present) carnose or membranaceo-carnose, and bright 

 colored (yellow, red, &c). 



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