452 



Stroma efTused, short and narrow or eontinuous and snrrounding' 

 the entire stem, which is finally blackened on the surface and pene- 

 trated by the black, stromatic lines. Perithecia globose or sub- 

 depressed, scattered irregularly or oftener in closely packed groups, 

 buried in the matrix, attenuated above into short necks.. Ostiola more 

 or less elongated, with a conical base, more or less nodulose, generally 

 straight, moderately exserted. Asci oblong-clavate, 8-spored, 40-50 x 

 6-8 ji. Sporidia biseriate, fusoid, mostly straight, 2-celled, not con- 

 stricted, subobtuse, 3-4 nucleate, hyaline, 10-14 x 3-4 /i. 



On dead stems of Solidago, Aster, and AchUlea, New Jersey. 



Yar. LactuccB, E. & E., has the surface of the stem uniformly 

 blackened, and the sporidia only 8-10 ^ long. On dead stems of 

 Lactuca Canadensis, New Jei'sey and Louisiana. 



D. aeuleSita, (Scffw.) 



Sphtrria aculeata. Schw. Syu. N, Am, 12S7. 

 Diaporihe aculeaia, Sacc. SyU. 2534, Cke. Syn. 231a!. 

 Exsicc. Ell. N, A. F. 589 (as B. spiculosa). 



Extensively and indefinitely effased. Perithecia deeply buried in 

 the substance of the stem, depressed-globose, black, scattered, their 

 long, cylindrical ostiola erumpent through a thin, black crust, lying 

 just beneath the thin cuticle, and at length exposed, or where more 

 scattered, rising through a small, elongated, black, superficial tubercle. 

 Asci p. sp. about 85 x 7 fj.. Sporidia biseriate, fusiform, with 4 large 

 nuclei which, by crowding against each other, cansethe sporidium to 

 appear 3-septate, not constricted, ends subacute, 11-13 x2|-3 /i. 



On dead stems of Phytolacca decandra. Common wherever this 

 plant is found. 



D. semiinsciilpta, Sacc. Syll. 2528. 



SpktEria semiimmersa, B. & C. Grev. IV, p. 146. (uon Nits.) 



" Perithecia immersed below, above subcylindrical or subconical. 

 Sporidia linear, oblong, curved, 15 /i long." 



On dead hei-baceous stems, Connecticut (Wright). 



*** On monocotyledonous plants. 

 1). Miydis, (Berk.) 



Sphcsria Maydis, Berk. Hook. I/jnclon Journ. Hot. Vol. 6, p. 326. 



" Spots minute, elevated, often purple-brown, punctiform or sub- 

 elliptical, rarely linear, containing ' very few perithecia with a single, 

 broad-conical ostiolum. Sporidia oblong, slightly curved, uniseptate. 



