434 Notes on Parasitic Ascomycetes. — //. [Sess. 



globose conidia. In reaching its ascigerous or perfect condition, 

 the fungus sends up from the dead pupa buried in the ground 

 a stroma consisting of a fleshy orange-red stalk, surmounted 

 by a slightly thickened head in which are embedded numerous 

 perithecia. The spores are narrow and elongated. Two other 

 forms may be noticed as parasitic on species of ElapJiomyces, 

 a genus of fungi which grow under the surface of the ground, 

 especially in pine woods, and are allied to the truffle. G. 

 ophioglossoides (Ehrh.) Link is parasitic on K variegahos, from 

 which it sends up a yellow stem surmounted by a clavate 

 brownish-black head or stroma. In like manner, C. capitata 

 (Holmsk.) Link is parasitic on U. granulatus, and produces an 

 ovate or subglobose stroma of a bay-brown colour. The spores 

 of both species are narrowly cylindrical, elongated, and 

 hyaline. 



JEpichloe typhina (Pers.) Tul. is parasitic on various grasses, 

 particularly Agrostis, Holcus, and Dadylis. It produces a 

 white crust which surrounds the upper leaf-sheath of the host 

 plant, and at that stage bears innumerable minute oval conidia 

 ( = Sphacelia typhina Sacc.) which are capable of immediate 

 germination. As the crust approaches maturity it assumes 

 the form of a yellow stroma roughened with the projecting 

 mouths of the perithecia embedded in its substance. The 

 spores are filiform, hyaline, and very delicately laultiseptate. 

 In the genus Hypomyces the various species are parasitic on 

 fungi. H. aurantius (Pers.) Fckl., one of the most widely- 

 distributed representatives, grows on the lower surface of 

 Polystictus versicolor, where it produces a byssoid coating of 

 orange-red threads, through which emerge numerous roundish 

 perithecia. The spores are elliptical, uniseptate, and hyaline. 



The next genus, Nectria, contains numerous representatives, 

 of which the most common is N. cinnabarina (Tode) Fr. In 

 its conidial state, known as Tubercularia mdgaris Tode, it 

 forms abundantly on dead branches and twigs the little bright- 

 red tubercles which are familiar to every one who visits the 

 woods in autumn and winter. Each tubercle ultimately 

 becomes a stroma upon which are clustered the brownish-red 

 perithecia. The spores are oblong, obtuse, 1 -septate, and 

 hyaline. Most of the species of Nectria are saprophytes, but 

 I\\ cinnabarina and various of its allies are reputed to be 



