Proceedings of the Ohio State Academy of Science 59 



Family VI. Patellakiaceae. 



Mycelium wholly within the substratum. Apothecia leath- 

 ery or horny, superficial or at first immersed, dark-colored, 

 usually small. Exciple and hypothecium well-developed. Para- 

 physes more or less adherent near the ends. 



KEY TO GENERA. 



a — Spores simple cr two-celled. 



b — ■ Spores simple Patinella 



b — Spores two-celled Karschia 



a — Spores several celled. 



b — Spores "24-33 mic. long Durella 



b — Spores 46-56 mic. long Patellaria 



Genus I. Karschia Korb. Parerg. Lich. 459. 1865. 



Type species, Karschia talcophila (Ach. ) Korb. 



Apothecia coriaceous, sessile, superficial or slightly erumpent. 

 disc round, plane, becoming more or less convex, very dark or 

 black, small. Paraphyses thickened near the ends and united 

 into a gelatinous epithecium. Asci clavate. Spores 8, ovate- 

 oblong, or oblong-elliptic, two-celled, somewhat constricted at 

 the septum, at first hyaline, then brown or brownish. 



The apothecia appear like those of the lichen genus Lecidea. 

 Korber says the paraphyses are branched. 



Growing on decaying wood and stems. 



Karschia lignyota (Fr.) Sacc. Syl. Fung. 8: 779. 1889. 

 Patellea lignyota Fr. Sys. Mycol. 2: 150. 1822. 



Apothecia usually in groups, minute, black, sessile, edge un- 

 even or crenulate. Hymenium olivaceous, hypothecium almost 

 hyaline, exciple black. Paraphyses slightly enlarged at the ends, 

 rather stout. Asci broadly clavate. Spores crowded in the 

 asens, brownish, oblong-elliptic, 9-11 mic. long and 4 mic. wide. 

 often breaking apart at the septum. 



Very common on old wood. 



Coll. Freda M. Bachman, Nov. 22, 1907. 



