PHACELOMONAS. 



[ 500 ] 



PHACIDIUM. 



on the ground, among leaves, 

 brightly coloured. They are at 

 sacs, which burst at the summit, 

 out to form a kind of cup con- 

 and paraphyses. Thus they be- 

 Discomycetes of some authors. 



Fig. 568. 



Fig. 569. 



dead wood, 

 &c., many 

 first closed 

 and spread 

 taining asci 

 long to the 



Fig. 567. 



Peziza furfuracea. 



(Small variety.) 



Magnified 5 diameters. 



Tulasne has recently shown that some of 

 the Pezizce have a secondary fructification 

 consisting of stylospores ; these forms have 

 been described as species of Dacrymyces, a 

 genus of Tremellini. Other species also 

 produce spermatia. 



BIBL. Berk. Brit. Flor. ii. pt. 2. p. 186; 

 Fries, Summa Veg. p. 348 ; Tulasne, Ann. 

 des So. nat. 3 ser. xx. p. 167. 



PHACELOMONAS, Ehr. A doubtful 

 genus of Infusoria. 



Char. Tail-like process absent; a red 

 (eye-) spot present ; mouth (?) terminal, 

 truncate, furnished with eight to ten anterior 

 long cilia or flagelliform filaments. 



P. pulvisculus. Body oblong, subconical, 

 attenuate posteriorly, bright green ; aquatic; 

 length 1-1150". Occurs in myriads in pools. 

 Perhaps zoospores of CEDOGONIUM. 



BIBL. Ehrenberg, Infus. p. 28. 



PHACIDIACEI. A family of small Asco- 

 mycetous Fungi, mostly growingin large num- 

 bers on the half-decayed woody parts of 

 plants, or on the ground ; consisting usually 

 of dark-coloured, indurated, or leathery bo- 

 dies, solitary or connate, or seated on a 

 common base, closed at first, and containing 

 a soft nucleus ; the outer case (perithecium) 

 subsequently opening widely, and presenting 

 a cavity lined with asci containing spores. 



The history of development of these plants 

 is still obscure, for many of them are con- 

 nected with certain of the Coniomycetes as 

 different stages of one and the same plant. 

 We describe the genera according to the 

 existing classifications, noting the new facts 

 relating to these metamorphic phenomena 

 in the articles on the particular genera. 



Synopsis of British Genera. 

 * Perithecium open, margined, closed by a 



lid or veil. 



I. PATELLARIA. Perithecium patelli- 

 form, margined, open, covered with a thin 



veil confluent with the nucleus. Disk at 

 length pulverulent, the annulate asci break- 

 ing out. 



II. TYMPANIS. Perithecium cup-shaped, 

 margined, open, covered by a thin, evanes- 

 cent veil. Disk fixed in the receptacle (pro- 

 per stratum), at length dissolved. Asci fili- 

 form, fixed. 



** Perithecium (excipulum) at length open, 

 connate with the floccose receptacle. 

 Nucleus discoid, ascigerous, placed on 

 the receptacle. 



III. CENANGIUM. Perithecium entire, 

 leathery-horny, opening by a connivent 

 mouth, distinct from the discigerous stra- 

 tum. Asci filiform, persistent, expelling the 

 separate spores with violence. 



*** Perithecium entire, dehiscing by closely 

 connivent slits. 



IV. LOPHIUM. Perithecium subsessile, 

 elongated, compressed, bursting by a longi- 

 tudinal slit. Asci erect, fixed, cylindrical, 

 persistent, sporidia simple, rounded. Thal- 

 lus crustaceous or imperceptible. 



**** Perithecium somewhat dimidiate, at 

 length open, nucleus naked. 



V. RHYTISMA. Perithecium innate, of 

 irregular form, opening by fragments break- 

 ing off into a flexuose slit; nucleus placenti- 

 form, persistent. Asci erect, fixed; para- 

 physes stalked. 



VI. PHACIDIUM. Perithecium roundish, 

 simple, bursting with several teeth at the 

 summit ; nucleus disk-shaped, in some de- 

 gree persistent. Asci erect, fixed; para- 

 physes stalked. 



VII. HYSTERIUM. Perithecium sessile, 

 oval or elongated, with a longitudinal slit at 

 first closed, afterwards gaping open; nu- 

 cleus linear, somewhat persistent. Asci 

 erect, fixed ; paraphyses stalked. 



VIII. LABRELLA. Perithecium innate, 

 bursting by a longitudinal slit ; asci short, 

 broad and obtuse above, attenuated below, 

 mixed with short flexuous paraphyses; 

 spores few, ovate-oblong, occasionally con- 

 tracted or septate in the middle. 



PHACIDIUM, Fr. A genus of Phacidi- 

 acei (Ascomycetous Fungi), containing many 

 species growing on dead leaves, branches, 

 &c. Some of them are common, as P. den- 

 tatum, on oak-leaves, and P. Lauro-cerasi on 

 the cherry-laurel. 



BIBL. Berk. Brit. Fl. ii. pt. 2. p. 291 ; 

 Fries, Summa Veg. 369. 



