40 NORTH AMERICAN SORDARIACEAE 
found, that all the species should be included in the same genus. 
This is certainly unsound reasoning, for if it were followed con- 
sistently we would be obliged to abolish much if not all of our 
system of classification as well as the entire doctrine of evolution. 
But this appears not to be the only distinction between the two 
genera. Inallthe American species at least there is a decided 
difference in the apex of the ascus, the genus Sordaria as here 
recognized having an ascus with an apical perforation, while in the 
genus Pleurage there is no such opening, but the ascus ruptures 
by the breaking off of a lid or cap-like portion. 
With regard to the synonomy some explanation appears to be 
necessary. The name Podospora has been applied in recent 
times to the species having appendiculate spores ; but two years 
ago Dr. Otto Kuntze * called attention to the fact that Fries t 
established the genus Pleurage on Schisothecium fimicolum Corda 1 
asatype. Corda’s generic name being a homonym, the name given 
by Fries will have to stand. As stated elsewhere, it is not known 
now what species Corda had ; it has usually been said that he had 
P. fimiseda, but Rehm quotes it as P. curvula? It appears to me 
from an examination of Corda's description and figures that there is 
no question but that he had one of the P. curvula group of species 
at least; but since he does not figure the asci it is impossible to 
decide. Since, however, he figures a species having agglutinated 
hairs, appendaged spores and living on dung, it seems perfectly 
safe to accept it as the type of the genus, although the species can 
not be determined with certainty. 
Cesati and DeNotaris § established the genus Sordaria in 1863, 
giving a list of 16 species with Sphaeria sordaria Fr. at the head 
of the list. Fourteen of these species have been removed to other 
genera, one has been dropped from our literature entirely, and one, 
Sphaeria fimicola Roberg., remains to represent our present con- 
ception of the genus. 
Lack of time has prevented any extended study of relation- 
ships with other groups, but a few observations are thought to be 
* Rev. Gen. Plant. 33: 504 
f Summa Vegetab. Scand. 2: 418. 
1 Icones Fung. 2: 29. 
4 Comment. Soc. Crit. Ital. 1: 225. 
