LICHENS AND FUNGI OF OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND. 427 



resembling in external character the spermogones of many Lichens, and apparently 

 bearing a similar relation to the Sphceria (figs. 11, 12, 13 c), I found myriads of 

 globular or oval corpuscles — spermatia — about -00006" to -000075" in diameter- 

 given off apparently from the ends of extremely minute, simple sterigmata (fig. 



15). 



The Sphceria occurs on the same wood with Patellaria atrata,Fr., from which, 



however, its perithecia may be distinguished by their less size, greater thickness, 

 more verrucarioid aspect, and greater closeness of aggregation. The disks of the 

 Patellaria are largish, thin, very irregular in form, with incurved or corrugate 

 margins ; frequently angular or lirelleeform, and resembling the difform apothecia 

 of various Umbilicarim, Graphideoe, Lecanora?, or Lecidew. The Patellaria is dis- 

 tinguished further by the microscopic characters of the hymenium. The thecce 

 (fig. 16) are large and distinct; -0045" to -0030" long, and -0009" broad, resembling 

 those of Lichens. The hymenium contains a large quantity of oil globules (b). 

 The spores (fig. 17) are large and very distinct, resembling those of certain 

 Arthonice and Verruca-rice. They are, moreover, colourless, somewhat irregular 

 in form ; ellipsoid, obovate, or pyriform (broad at one end, and tapering at the 

 other) ; -0009" to -0012" long, and -0003" broad ; 8-10 septate. In the old and 

 young states (c), their contents are a mass of granules instead of distinct loculi ; 

 and in the former state, also, they frequently become greatly elongated — narrowly 

 fusiform ; 001 8'' long ; apparently preparing to germinate, and extend them- 

 selves into the tubular or mycelioid condition (c). 



Sp. 3. S. Martiniana (figs. 18 to 22). 



"Fruit 0007 inch, rather larger than in S. pulvis-pyrius ; otherwise exactly 

 like latter, but it can hardly be a rostrate form of that species." (Currey 

 MSS.) 



Hob. On trunks of living trees (apparently chiefly " Goai"); Greenisland 

 Bush. 



The bark, on which the perithecia occur, is very rugose and whitish ; they 

 are jet-black, and consequently very prominent, and easily seen under the lens. 

 They are very minute and punctiform ; but vary considerably, both in form, size, 

 and surface, having greatly the external characters of the Lichen-genera Pyrenothea 

 and Microthelia. They are generally granular or powdery on the surface, and 

 on this account, as well as by reason of the minuteness of the perithecia them- 

 selves, their ostiole is seldom or never visible. The young perithecia exhi- 

 bit only a punctiform, black papilla on the surface of the bark ; while their large 

 black body is sub-epidermal or immersed— requiring to be enucleated from the 

 woody tissue for examination (fig. 20). In maturity and age, however, they be- 

 come—gradually emerging from the woody tissue — sub-sessile,— the base only being 

 immersed, or occupying a saucer-like hollow of the matrix. As in the case of 



VOL. XXIV. PART II. 5 Z 



