1 882.] Botany. 239 



ostiola, and differing so much from the ordinary form that it might 

 readily be taken to be a different species. The asci and sporidia, 

 however, did not differ from those of the more common form. 



In the autumn of 1874 a single magnolia trunk was found 

 thickly covered with what was taken to be an old Diatrype, with 

 the disks covered with little circular orange-red tremelloid caps 

 of the same size as the disks and hiding them completely from 

 sight. This was at that time supposed to be a species of Tre- 

 mella,but it did not show the internal structure of that genus, nor 

 could it be referred to any described species. So the matter re- 

 mained till last November, when, on a collecting trip in the swamp, 

 I again found a magnolia trunk covered with the little orange-red 

 tremelloid disks. On removing one of these carefully with the 

 point of a knife, behold the concave disk of Diatrype disci formis (?) 

 with the white dot-like punctures marking the place of the osti- 

 ola! On further examination it was found that on some parts of 

 the trunk the tremelloid disks had already fallen away, laying 

 bare the white punctured stroma of the Diatrype. Another speci- 

 men on the same trunk had still further developed into the well- 

 known form of D. disciformis var. magnolia. On looking further 

 there were found a dozen or more trunks, all heaving specimens 

 covered with the tremelloid disks as above described, showing 

 plainly the various stages of development and demonstrating be- 

 yond the shadow of a doubt that D. disciformis var. magnolue has 

 in the young state its stroma covered with the aforesaid tremelloid 

 disks. I could not at first see why I had not noticed this before, 

 as the magnolia and the Diatrype in question are very common : 

 but this may be due to the fact that the little tremelloid disks do 

 not long endure, but soon turn black and fall off 



The origin of the fungus is beneath the epidermis, which is soon 

 ruptured and thrown off, revealing the red disk, which soon rises 

 up even with or a little above the surface of the bark, soon after 

 which, as already stated, it also falls off, revealing the true disk of 

 the Diatrype, which, in the different stages of its growth, presents 

 at least three different forms — first, concave and slate color, with 

 white dot-like punctures; then convex and brown, the surface 

 being -Ii-htly cracked and the ostiola scarcely visible ; and finally 

 the disk becomes black and the ostiola distinctly prominent. When 

 it reaches this stage the asci have mostly disappeared. 



It is further to be noted that in the European specimens of D. 

 disciformis the epidermis does not adhere to the margin of the 

 disk but forms a loose, free border around it, while in the speci- 



of the diskfand is also split in a stellate manner around it. "in 

 view of the facts now stated, it appears to me that Diatrype disci- 

 formis var. magnolue is worthy of specific distinction, and I have 

 prepared specimens to be distributed in the next Century of North 

 Am. Fungi, under the name of Diatrype trciuc/.'ophora.—J; B. 

 Ellis, Newfield, N. J., Jan. 7, 1S82. 



