SPHINCTRINA.] 



83 



brownish or blackish, paraphyses usually little developed ; hymenial 

 gelatine scanty. Spermogones punctiform, black, the sterigmata 

 somewhat simple. 



This tribe consists of rather small plants, some of which are parasitic 

 and readily overlooked, while others are conspicuous from their brightly 

 coloured thalli. The apithecia sometimes have the stipas abnormally 

 branched, and occasionally the capitulum is proliferous. 



20. SPHINCTRINA Fr. PL Hom. (1825) p. 120 (ut genus Fan- 

 gorum) ; De Not. Giorn. Bot. It. 

 1846, p. 314. Thallus none 

 proper. Apothecia parasitic, 

 chiefly on the thalli of Pertusa- 

 i-ice, globoso-turbinate, sessile or 

 substipitate, somewhat shining, 

 black, proper margin thick, 

 connivent; thecae subpersistent, 

 sporalmass black; spores simple 

 (very rarely 1-septate), black- 

 ish ; hymenial gelatine usually 

 more or less tinged with iodine. 

 Spermogones with acicular ar- 

 cuate spermatia. 



The few species belonging to 

 this genus are distinguished by 



Fig. 22. 



the apothecia being parasitic, Sphinctrinaturbinata,Vr. -a. Apothecium 

 A-ssile or subsessile, and shining. (in dry state), X 30. b. Longitudinal 

 At first sight they look like section of two apothecia, X 30. c. Thwa 

 minute fungi; but their ana- and P^aphyses, x 350. d. Spores, 

 tomical structure places them x ^~ / l^ion of spormogomum, 

 among the lichens. P ^ f ~ Stengm^te and sper-natm, 



1. S. turbinata Fr. Sum. Veg. (1846) p. 366. Thallus none. 

 Apothecia small, globose or globoso-turbinate, shortly stipitate, or 

 often almost sessile, the sporal mass usually protruded ; spores 

 simple, globose or subglobose, small, 0,003-8 mm. in diameter ; 

 hymenial gelatine pale bluish, then sordid dark-coloured with 

 iodine. Nyl. Syn. i. p. 142, t. v. f. 1 ; Mudd, Man. p. 255, t. iv. 

 f. 102 ; Cromb. Lich. Brit. p. 11 ; Lcight. Lich. Fl. p. 38, ed. 3, 

 p. 38. Calicium turbinatum Pers. Fung. Suppl. (1797) p. 59. 

 Calicium sessile Turn. & Borr. Lich. Br. p. 128 ; Eng. Bot. t. 2520 ; 

 Sin. Eng. Fl. v. p. 138. Acolium stigonellum Gray, Nat. Arr. i. 

 p. 482. Lichen yeladnatus With. Arr. ed. 3, iv. p. 8, t. 31. Brit. 

 Exs. : Leight. n. 132 ; Mudd, n. 241. 



This is read'ly recognized upon the host by the numerous, sometimes 

 crowded apothecia, which vary somewhat in size. The spermogones, 

 scattered amongst the apothecia, are not unfrequent, with spermatia 

 0,012-15 mm. long, 0,001 mm. thick. 



Hub. On the thallus of Pertusaria communis, and sometimes of P. 

 fallax, on the trunks of old trees, chiefly oaks, in maritime and upland 



62 



