SORDARIACEAE 41 
worth recording at this time. Certain species of Sporormia show a 
close relationship to such forms as Perisporium, while Pleurage 
erostrata has a perithecium which is typical of the Perzsporiales, 
but its spore appendages and other characters are identical with 
Pleurage. It is to the relationships of the genus Hypocopra that 
attention is especially called. When species of Poronia developed 
in cultures of material from South Dakota, Arizona, Mississippi, 
and Texas, I was particularly struck with their similarity to Æy- 
pocopra and came to an almost immediate conclusion that this 
genus of the Xylariaceae should be placed with the Sordaricaeae ; 
further study, however, raised a doubt as to whether Poronia should 
be placed in the Sordariaceae or Hypocopra in the Xylariaceae. 
Fic, I. Poronia introduced to illustrate similarity to Æypocopra. The species has 
passed for P. oedipus, but it is rather doubtful whether it is that species. I, di 
of upper expanded portion of stroma X 35, from microtome sections ; 2, ascus X 230 ; 
3, apex of ascus showing apical body X 315 ; 4, spore X 315 ; 5, stroma X 2. The 
figures are all from Texas specimens developed in a moist chamber. The stroma is 
much more slender and the expanded upper portion much smaller on this account. 
There is no question but the two genera are very closely related 
and should be placed together. An examination of the figures of 
Hypocopra violacea with the accompanying cut of Poromia oedipus 
(Fig. 1) will show clearly how closely related the two genera 
really are. In the first, the perithecia are completely imbedded 
in a stroma. All that is necessary to make it a Poronta is to have 
the stroma stalked. The points on which the two genera agree 
may be summarized as follows : 
I. Habitat. 
2. Development of a stroma. 
3. Similar paraphyses. 
