112 



I. Mycocalicium Reinke, Jahrb. wiss. Bot. 28: 74. 1895. 



It is an undecided question whether the representatives of this 

 group should be classified with lichens or with fungi. The thallus 

 is either rudimentary or wholly wanting ; as a rule only a few algae 

 suspended in a mesh-work of hyphae occur at the base of the stipe, 

 and it is often also difficult to decide whether the thallus is normally 

 absent or whether it has become accidentally worn away. For the 

 time being the genus Mycocalicium includes all distinctly stipitate 

 Caliciaceae in which the thallus is wanting or very rudimentary. 

 The general morphology of the -stipe and apothecium is similar to 

 that of Calicium (see Plate 7) ; the paraphyses are simple, or 

 sparingly branched. In old plants the entire thecium may fall away, 

 leaving the cup formed by the exciple and hypothecium(perithecium). 



On examining the spores it becomes evident that this genus in- 

 cludes representatives taken from the genera Cyphelium and Cali- 

 cium ; they are in all cases dark in color and either simple or two- 

 celled without any distinct exosporium ; this seems to be evidence 

 that it is not a natural group. A more scientific method would per- 

 haps be to classify them either as fungi or to include them in the 

 genera Cyf helium and Calicium. 



All representatives of this group have been taken from the genus 

 Calicium and it is yet undecided how many species occur in the ter- 

 ritory. It no doubt includes C. Cur tisii Tuck., C. fuscifes Tuck, 

 and C. lenticulare (Hoffm.) Ach. and perhaps a few others. 



As far as I have been able to observe, the Mycocalicia occur upon 

 pine trees or upon old pine boards, also, quite frequently, upon decay- 

 ing wood (usually pine) ; owing to their small size and scattered 

 development they are rather difficult to find. Their range is rather 

 uncertain ; the specimens which I have examined are mostly eastern. 



PLATE 15. Fig. i. 

 Mycocalicium Curtisii (Tuck.; 



Spore-sac, spores and paraphyses. For the general morphological 

 characters of the genus see Plate 7. ' 



2. Coniocybe Ach. Act. Holm. 283, 1816. 

 This genus is closely related to both Mycocalicium and Calicium. 

 I have been unable to note any differences in the apothecial char- 



