54 NORTH AMERICAN SORDARIACEAE 
coplaca were said, in the original description, to be seated, does not 
appear in the specimens now, neither has such a characteristic 
been observed in any of my cultures. The frequency of asci with 
fewer than 8 spores is a very noticeable feature in the specimens 
cultivated. This is due to the abortion of one or more spores after 
they have been once formed. In the young stage one may find 
three or more olive-green spores and a corresponding number of 
abnormal hyaline ones in the same ascus. Later the hyaline spores 
entirely disappear. Dr. Plowright in response to a letter of inquiry 
concerning Sordaria platyspora, S. microspora, and S. Californica, 
states that he is unable to find the types of the first two named. 
Judging from the drawings and descriptions, however, there ap- 
pears to be little room for doubt concerning them. 
13. Sordaria philocoproides sp. nov. 
Perithecia scattered, sunken, but becoming more or less super- 
ficial with age, subglobose, with small papilliform or indistinct 
beak, 300-400 م‎ in diameter, membranaceous, black and opaque, 
covered on all exposed portions with short stiff dark brown to 
black pointed continuous hairs 
Asci 32-spored, cylindrical to clavate, broadly rounded and 
simply perforate above, and contracted below into a short bluut 
stipe, 13-204 x en Lon: paraphyses filiform, septate, a little 
longer than the asc 
Spores in two = four series, slightly flattened, broadly ellip- 
soid to subcircular in one view and narrowly ellipsoid in the other, 
broadly rounded at the ends, 5.5-8 م‎ x ۳ رم‎ hyaline envelope 
rather indistinct and very narrow. (Pl. 4, f. 17-19. 
Distinctive characters : Polyspored 2 ‚and bristle- like hairs 
of the perithecia. 
Cultivated specimens: On rabbit dung, Ft. Lee, N. J., Jan. 
1900. 
This species is closely related to two others, Sordaria polyspora 
P. & P. and S. Hanseni Awd. It differs, however, from the former 
in having fewer spores in an ascus and larger spores with apices 
rounded instead of acute as figured in the original description.* 
The latter is described as having spores without gelatinous append- 
ages or covering. 
* Grevillea, t0: 73. M. 243. të r. 1881. 
