MiCROSPHAERA 169 



in the exsiccati quoted. These specimens, although many peri- 

 thecia contain asci and spores, are too immature to show with cer- 

 tainty the form of the mature apex of the appendages. The most 



w 



developed stage in the branching of the apex that I have seen is 

 shown at Fig. 45. It is, however, possible that this does not 

 represent the final form, and the somewhat swollen tips of many 

 of the branches rather favors the view that further division takes 

 place. It is frequently the case in species of MicrospJiacra that 

 the asci and spores are developed long before the apical branching 

 of the appendages has attained its mature form. 



12. M. FERRUGiNEA Edkss. [Figs. 56-5S] 



M. fcrruginca Erikss. Fung par. scand. n. 145 (cum diag.) 

 1883 \ Erikss. Bidr. Kanned. vara odl. vaxt. sjuk. 46. 1 885. 

 Exsicc. *Erikss. Fung. par. scand. 145. 



Amphigenous ; mycelium subpersistent ; perithecia scattered, 

 70-100 /i in diameter, cells small, rather regular, 10-12 fi wide; 

 appendages 4-7, rarely 7-10, about i^ times the diameter of the 

 perithecium, colorless, smoth, thin-walled above, becoming thick- 

 walled below, apex 3-4 times dichotomously branched, branching 

 rather vague and lax, tips of'the ultimate branches not recurved ; 

 asci 4~6, ovate-oblong, with or without a short stalk, 45-52 X 26 



30 p. ; spores 4-?, 20x 13 p-^ 



** Caespites amphigeni, ferruginei, pulveracei, demum late ef- 

 fusi et confluentes. Conidia utrinque rotundata, pallide fusca, pel- 

 lucida, 28-32 fx longa, t6-i8 p lata. Perithecia fusco-atra, 

 sparsa, mycelio densissimo arachnoideo persistente intexta, 80-90 

 {i in diam. Appendices 6-10, perithecium aequantes vel duplo 

 longiores, 4-6 : eis dichotomae, hyalinae. Asci 6-% in quoque 

 perithccio, 44-50 p longi, 26-30 tx lati. Sporae 6-8 in quoque 

 asco, 16-18 fi longae, 10-12 p latae. (Erikss. loc, cit.) 



* 



Host. — Verbena hybrida (cult.). 



Distribution. — Europe : Sweden. 



The specimen which Professor Eriksson kindly sent to me for 

 examination from his herbarium, and that in the Exsiccati quoted, 

 are unfortunately both immature. Only a very few perithecia are 

 sufficiently mature to show any apical branching at all of the ap- 

 pendages. Figs. 56 and 57 show the apex of the most developed 

 appendages seen, but it is very possible that the form here rep- 

 resented is not that of the fully mature apex. It would be hardly 



