DISCOMYCETES 307 



Sticteae 



Very minute fungi, often appearing as white specks 

 immersed in wood or bark. Ascophore immersed, often 

 at first covered with a white veil, which becomes broken 

 into a fringed, or irregularly torn, reflexed margin at 

 maturity. Excipulum often very rudimentary. Sapro- 

 phytes. 



Generally distributed. 



Phacideae 



Ascophore minute, more or less immersed in the matrix, 

 urceolate or saucer-shaped when expanded, waxy, excipulum 

 distinct. The matrix is usually blackened and becomes 

 variously ruptured, exposing the disc. Differs from Sticteae 

 in the distinct excipulum, dusky colour, and discoloured 

 matrix. Mostly saprophytes on wood, herbaceous stems, 

 leaves, etc. 



Generally distributed. 





 Cordieriteae 



Ascophore rather tough, irregularly branched, more or 

 less erect, apothecia flattened, borne at the tips of the 

 branches. Small, usually reddish in colour ; only three 

 or four species known, which are confined to the New 



World. 



Laboulbeniaceae 



One of the most remarkable and at the same time most 

 natural of families. Another feature equally remarkable 

 is the fact that our knowledge of this group is, with the 

 exception of some few misinterpreted European species, 

 entirely due to the admirable investigations of one person, 

 Dr. R. Thaxter of Harvard University, U.S.A. 



