428 THAXTER. — MONOGRAPH OF THE LABOULBENIACEJE. 
arise singb or opposite in pairs, or in whorls of three or four from the distal (one to four) cells of the 
appendage. PeritheduBQ solitary, sessile at the tips of the primary and secondary axes, often straight 
ind symmetrical tapering to the truncate unmodified apex, pale becoming amber-brown. Spores about 
3s X 3 ft. IVritlmia 100-150 X 25-40 p. Sterile appendages, longer 100 X 7 p. Greatest length to 
tip of p.riilw < iiim (main axis) :><XMO0 X 35 p. 
( )n inferior surface of thorax of Piiwphilus sp. indet, British Museum, No. 390, Burmah, India. 
In the individual figured, the basal and subbasal cells are abnormally placed or the latter is abnor- 
mally septate. In the other specimens these two cells are directly superposed. The species shows a good 
d< al of variation in the number of cells composing both the main and secondary axes, and also in the 
Dumber and position of the latter. 
COMPSOMYCES Thaxter. 
This genus and Moxchomyces, which may prove to be not generically separable from it, are decidedly 
isolated, ami it is difficult even to suggest the probable affinities of the few species thus far discovered. 
It seems to me that it is better to regard the perithecia as arising from a single stalk-cell which is in turn 
borne on an appendiculate branch from the receptacle consisting of a single cell. The sterile appendages, 
or certain of them, are peculiar in having slightly oblique septa when young, and it is only in this group 
thai asci with eight spores are definitely known to occur. 
Comi'somyces Lestevi Thaxter. Plate XLIII, figs. 9-12. 
Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sci., Vol. XXXV, p. 439. April, 1900. 
Receptacle consisting of a small basal and subbasal cell, the latter giving rise to rarely more than two 
branches; one of which consists of a basal cell, from the upper side of which the stalk-cell of the perithe- 
lium arises; while externally it gives rise to a characteristic sterile branch, simple, usually slightly upcurved, 
rather closely and somewhat obliquely septate, commonly consisting of about nine superposed cells, taper- 
ing r;Oher abruptly at the tip. Perithecium borne on a well developed erect stalk-cell, nearly symmetri- 
cal, tapering from about the middle to the broad truncate undifferentiated tip; the basal cells small, but 
lightly distinguished from the inflated base of the ascigerous portion, the spores few and relatively large. 
The other branch arising from the subbasal cell of the receptacle, an antheridial branch, divergent, con- 
sisting typically of four superposed cells above which it becomes furcate, dividing into two branches which 
are huge stout tapering, distally curved; the third cell of the appendage producing a single short flask- 
shaped antheridium distally on its inner side and sometimes giving rise to a branch similar to those above. 
Spores 42 X 4 p. Perithecia 75-85 
branches 275 p, the basal part about 60 X 20 p. 
Antheridial appendage including 
On abdomen and elytra of Lesteva sicula Erich, British Museum, Nos. 452 and 453, Paisley and Red 
ill, England: on L. jmbeacens Mannerh., No. 1094, Scotland: on Lesteva sp. No. 1175. Savoy, in 
Sharp Coll. 
This species differs from the type of the genus in having a single antheridium definitely placed on a 
mam appendage; at least this appears to be the condition in all the specimens examined which have 
been in sufficiently good condition to show the antheridium at all. At first sight it might seen wholly 
afferent from C. verteSlato* from the apparent absence of a basal appendiculate cell below the stalk-cell 
of its pentnecium; but an examination of young specimens shows, as in fig. 12, that this appendiculate 
eel is present, although very small, and as the individual matures the enlargement of the stalk-cell, as 
We i as of the basd cells of the other appendages, causes it to become obscured and displaced, so that the 
alk-eel uself appears to arise directly from the subbasal cell of the receptacle. That this is not the 
case a Heary seen in the figure mentioned, which also shows the position of the single antheridium. 
varv Jr^l T ri>e ' S °° UeCti0n b in somewhat better edition than the types, but does not 
• .reatly. I he specimens from Scotland have more slender perithecia, but do not seem otherwise 
