698 



H. proteiforme, Duby, Hyst. p. 27. 



Erlimpent from the fibers of the wood, very variable in shape, 

 linear, oblong, oblong-globose or globose, arranged in parallel series, 

 black, shining, very faintly transversely striate; lips narrow, their 

 edges more or less remote, exposing the linear-lanceolate, oblong or 

 sphagroid, black disk. Asci (sec. Rehm) ovate, thickened at the apex, 

 36x10^. Sporidia 8 in an ascus, biseriate, clavate, obtuse, straight 

 or somewhat curved, 3-septate, brownish, 9-11 x 3-3| pi. Paraphypes 

 branched and united above in a greenish-brown layer above the asci. 



On dry, decaying oak wood, Carolina (Curtis). 



The appearance is peculiar. When closed, it often resembles a 

 Sphmria, when open, a Lecidea. We have seen no specimens and 

 take the diagnosis from Duby's Memoire. This (sec. Dr. Rehm, in 

 Hedw., 1886, p. 187), is closely allied to H. Prostii, and with that 

 species belongs in the Patellariei^. 



H. ellipticuiti, Fr. Obs. Mycol. I, p. 195. 



Hysleropatella elUpiica, Rehm, in Die Pilze (Discomycetfs) p. 368. 



Perithecia gregarious or collected in small groups, lying parallel, 

 at first buried among the fibers of the wood, finally emergent and 

 sessile, rounded or elongated, straight or somewhat curved, simple or 

 stellate, |-3 mm. long, \-^ mm. wide, with an elongated, finally ellip- 

 tical opening, showing the thin black disk, of a wax-like consistency. 

 Asci clavate, thick-walled, 60-70x12-16/^, 8-spored, with dichoto- 

 mously branched paraphyses united in a brown epithecium above. 

 Sporidia biseriate, oblong, obtuse, straight or slightly curved, 3- 

 septate or slightly constricted at the septa, hyaline, becoming brown. 

 15-17x5-6//, the two middle cells mostly larger and each with a 

 large oil globule. 



On bark, North Carolina and Pennsylvania (Schw.). 



The specc. of this species in Herb. Schw. are without fruit, and 

 as there are no reliable specc. in our collection we have taken the 

 diagnosis from Rehm, in Die Pilze< The sporidia (sec. Pckl.) are 24- 

 26 X 8 // The species is closely allied to H. Prostii, and with that 

 species and some others here included for convenience, in theH yster- 

 iace(E, really belongs in the Biscomycetes. 



The specimens of the following species in Herb. Schw. are without 



fruit. 



H. rngnlosnm, Schw. Syn. X. Am. 2079. 



Perithecia small, round or of various shapes, black, generally 

 convex, much wrinkled, aggregated or scattered on a black spot, 



