240 



Stroma orbicular to subelliptical, h to 1 crn. across, or elongated 1-4x4- 

 1 cm. or by confluence extending for long distances in grooves of the bark. 

 It forms a thin carbonaceous crust, black, arising beneath the epidermis 

 but soon becoming bare, surface even, faintly punctulate from the minute 

 ostiola, which are not prominent but slightly depressed, the opening at first 

 filled with a white farinaceous matter. Perithecia ovate-globose, small 

 (less than one-half mm. across), arranged in a single row. Spore-bearing 

 part of the ascus 40-50x4 microns (E. & E. 25x3 microns), or with the base 

 about 60-80 microns long (Sacc. 37-50x4-5. E. & E. 45-50 long). Spores 

 uniseriate, ends mostly slightly overlapping, elliptical, inequilateral, pale 

 brown, 5-7ix2J-3 microns (E. & E. 44-5x2-2!. Sacc. 5-6x34-4). 



Should not be confused with Hypoxylon Sassafras which has very 

 prominent perithecia while N. microplaca appears smooth and has stroma 

 depressed. 



Abundant near Bloomington, Indiana, on Sassafras officinale; "3- 

 ported on the same host in South Carolina (Ravenel) and in Ohio (Mor- 

 gan and Kellerman) ; on Persea, Georgia (Ravenel). 



5. Nummularia tinctor, (Berk.) E. & E. Plate IV, Pigs. 1-3. 

 Sphaeria tinctor, Berk. Lond. Jour. Bot. IV, p. 311. 

 Hypoxylon tinctor, Cke. Syn. 996. 

 Diatrype?? tinctor, (Berk.) Sacc. Syll. I, 200. 

 Exsic., E. & E. N. A. Fungi, Second Ser. 1789. 



Stroma very hard and brittle, much effused, showing the irregularities 

 of the surface on which it grows, 1mm. thick, black, with surface almost 

 smooth, but distinctly papillose from the projecting ostiola as seen under 

 the hand-lens, wood beneath the stroma stained a beautiful reddish-orange 

 color, and rendered very hard. Perithecia monostichous, crowded, elon- 

 gated (£ mm. in length), covered above with the stromatic layer. Asci 

 100-140x6-10 microns (E. & E. 112x7-8). Spore-bearing part of ascus 75- 

 120 long (E. & E. 90-100). Filiform paraphyses in abundance. Spores 

 uniseriate, pale brown, conspicuously uniguttulate, oblong navicular. 13- 

 20x5-8 microns (E. & E. 15x6). 



On Platanus, Fagus, Acer, Ulmus and Oercis in the vicinity of Bloom- 

 ington, Indiana (Van Hook). Occurs throughout the Mississippi valley 

 and in the south as far east as Florida. 



