386 TEXT-BOOK OF FUNGI 



the perithecium. The conidia are often involved in 

 mucus, and escape from the ostiolum or opening of the 

 perithecium in long, tendril-like masses. 



In the Melanconiaceae the fruit is hemiangiocarpous, or 

 partly surrounded by a more or less saucer-shaped peri- 

 thecium or excipulum, from the inner surface of which the 

 conidiophores spring in large numbers. This arrangement 

 is analogous to the arrangement of the asci in the more or 

 less open cup-shaped structure met with in the Discomycetes. 

 It is, however, important to bear in mind that no affinity 

 or relationship is indicated by this agreement in structure. 



In the Hyphomycetes the fruit is strictly gymnocarpous, 

 that is, there is no trace of any perithecium or outer sterile 

 protective covering present. The conidiophores spring 

 directly from the vegetative hyphae under the form of 

 simple or variously branched, usually upright threads, and 

 bear the conidia either solitary or in chains at the tips of 

 the branchlets. 



KEY TO THE SUB-ORDERS 



Perithecium present, asci absent, conidia produced on 

 minute conidiosphores springing from the inner cells of the 

 perithecium. Sphaeropsidiaceae. 



Perithecia and asci absent, fruiting cushion soft, erum- 

 pcnt from an immersed, stroma-like base; conidia borne 

 on closely crowded conidiophores. Melanconiaceae. 



Perithecia, asci, and immersed stroma absent ; super- 

 ficial or almost so, conidiophores erect, often branched 

 and bearing the naked conidia at the tips of branchlets. 



Hyp homy cetaceae. 



