422 



A. closteriuHi, (B. & C.) 



Sphceria clozterium, B. & C. Grev. IV, p. 147. 

 Anthostoma closterium, Cke. Syn. 419S. 

 Anthosiomella closterium, Sacc. Syll. 1067. 



Minute, bursting through the cxiticle which at first is closed, black 

 and shining. Asci hmceolate. Sporidia elliptical in the center, with 

 a long, attenuated, curved appendage at each end, 50 ji long. Some- 

 times the elliptical part is divided into two elliptical joints. 



C)n SpircBa opulifolia, mountains of New York. 



A. Cacti, (Schw.) 



Sphisria Cacti, Schw. Syn. Car. 227, 

 Anthosiomella Cacti, Sacc. Syll. IX, p. 512. 



Perithecia gregarious, crumpent, subastomoiis, shining black; 

 iiiiimte, mostly on round, yellowish-brown spots 3-4 mm. diam., with 

 a definite, slightly raised border, and often confluent. Asci clavate- 

 cylindrical, 40 x 10 // (p. sp.), with a short, slender, pedicellate base; 

 Paraphyses not seen. Sporidia biseriate, elliptical or obovate-ellip.- 

 tical, opake with a light-colored band (pseudo-septum) across the mid- 

 die, the lower end subhyaline (and slightly appendiculate ?), 12-15 

 X 4-4| jx. 



On Opuntia Engelmanni, Los Angeles, Cala. (Scribner). 



FAMILY. VALSE^. 



Ascigerous stroma effused (diatrypoid), or subglobose, conical, or 

 pulvinate (valgoid); often obscurely defined, or only indicated by a 

 lilack, circumscribing line peiietrating more or less deeply. Perithecia 

 buried in the stroma, collected in groups or effused. 



The ascigerous stromata are often preceded or accompanied by 

 spermogonia producing sporules (mostly minute) borne on basidia 

 which line the inner surface of the spermogonial cavity. The spermo- 

 gonia accompanying the perithecia in the effused form of the ascigerous 

 stroma, are generally simple, i. e. having the speimatiiferous cavity un- 

 divided, and genei-ally pierced above with a single pore, but in the 

 valsoid form of stroma, the cavity of the spermogonium is mostly 

 divided into several cells or chambers stellately arranged, and inclosed 

 by thin walls, or partitions extending in from the circumference 

 towards the center, all these cells opening above through a single pore, 

 or sometimes through several pores. The perithecia are either formed 

 in the substratum beneath the spermogonia, or quite as often lie in a 

 ciicle around it. 



