59 



The problem of specific identity is by no means so complicated 

 as that of generic relationship. That our fungus is not a Sphaero- 

 ncma is evident from its production of ascospores, but its place 

 in the one or the other of the two remaining genera to which it 

 has been referred is not so easily decided, as they are very similar 

 even though they belong to supposedly very different orders. In 

 each case the perithecium is flask-shaped with a very long beak, 

 rather light in color although appearing quite black to the naked 

 eye. In Mclanospora the perithecia are isolated, with a cottony 

 stroma, which is sometimes wanting or poorly developed, and 

 have the ostiolum surrounded by a fringe of hairs. In Ceratos- 

 toma the perithecia are also isolated, the stroma and fringed ostio- 

 lum are absent and paraphyses are usually present. The spores 

 and asci are similar in both genera. In hope of assistance from 

 a comparison of the material at hand with the types of the genera 

 in question their history was traced. The genus Ccratostoma 

 was founded by Fries on Ccratospcrumui Mich., which had C. 

 nigrum Mich. (= Ceralostonia podioides Fries) as the type*. This 

 species has hyaline spores and is now known as Valsa ceratopliora 

 Tul. It is therefore evident that if our species is a member of the 

 genus Ceratostonia as at present accepted it does not belong to the 

 Friesian genus of that name. A further search shows that unless 

 the species now assigned to that genus belong to Ceratostomella 

 Sacc, from which they are distinguished only in spore-color the 

 genus is without a name. The genus Alelajiospora was founded 

 by Corda * with AI. Zamiae as its type. With this species the 

 one in question is undoubtedly congeneric. The synonymy of 

 the species is as follows : 



Melanospora parasitica L. Tul. & C. Tul. Sel. Fung. Carpol. 



3: 10. 1865. 

 Sphaeronema parasitica L. Tul. Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 8 : 40, 



note 2. 1857. 

 Ceratostouia biparasiticiun Ellis & Everh. Bull. Torrey Club 24 : 



127. 1897. 



*Obs. Myc. 2 : 337. 1818. 



1 1 cones. Fung. 1 : 24//. 7./. sgyA. 1837. 



