THAXTER. — 



MONOGRAPH OF TUK LAISOI IJil'iMAi ' I 



203 



base of the anterior spiniferous cell, the upper half of which forms a free spinous process slightly incurved 

 distally and equalled or even exceeded by the lateral spinous process: the free lip of die perithecium 

 about twice as long relatively, slightly incurved, the erect incurved spinous process, which subtends it 

 externally, more than twice as long as that of //. 8-cuspidalux and sublateral; the tip between the base 

 of this spine and the inner angle of the anterior spine relatively shorter and broader. Spores about 

 15 X 1.6 /(. Perithecium: ascigcrous portion 58 X 30 /<; terminal portion to tip, 40 /z; anterior process, 

 free portion, 22-25 ft, whole cell, 50-54 ft; subterminal process, free part, 17 total length, 123/t, includ- 

 ing basal cells. Width of two outer buttresses together 85-100 /i; height of shield-like upgrowth 36-50 /'.; 

 length from insertion to base of perithecium 00- 80 /i; total length from insertion to tip of perithecial spine 

 180-218 ft. 



On antenna of a wingless roach Blabera sp., Para, Brazil; Mus. Comp. Zool., No. 1302; on Blabera 

 sp., Mexico, Scudder Collection. 



As has been previously mentioned, the primary receptacle of this species appears to give rise to one 

 branch only (fig. 5), and is very small and otherwise peculiar, the terminal cell greatly elongated and 

 tapering. The fertile branch becomes furcate at once, and the groups of buttressed peritheeia seem to 

 result from continued secondary branching; the first pair of secondary receptacles that is produced being 

 anterior and more highly developed, shielding the later ones which arise behind them. The development 

 of die peritheeia in these secondary receptacles does not appear to be so simultaneous as it is in other 

 species, //. PeriplaiietcB for example; since very young peritheeia are often associated in the same indi- 

 vidual with others that are fully matured. 



The present form is most nearly allied to II. Diploptcrcc which is characterized by the same mode 

 of growth, but possesses very different peritheeia, and also to II. tricuspidatus in which the habit of growth 

 is quite unlike either of these species. 



AMORPHOMYCES Thaxter. 



The single described species of this genus still remains the simplest of all the types thus far discovered 

 and unique in possessing spores which are continuous. Whether this simplicity should be considered 

 indicative of a primitive condition or as due to a process of reduction, it is quite impossible to say. The 

 species has been seen from various localities in New England where it is common and has also been re- 

 ceived from Ohio. Certain undescribed forms are also known from South America, which adhere strictly 

 to die type of A. Falagrioe. 



DIOICOMYCES Thaxter. 

 Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sci., Vol. XXXVII, p. 33. June, 1901. 



Male individual consisting of four superposed cells, the upper of which is a simple antheridium 

 bearing a subterminal discharge tube. 



Female individual. Receptacle ending in a peculiarly modified sterile prominence, corresponding 

 to the upper spore-segment: the subbasal cell producing a single perithecium laterally, and separated 

 from the sterile terminal cell by a second small cell. Perithecium free, stalked; the ascogenic cell single, 

 the spores more or less obliquely once-septate, and of two kinds corresponding to the sexes. 



This genus is distinguished from Amorphomyces, to which it is closely allied, by its obliquely septate 

 spores; as well as by the fact that its perithecium, instead of being terminal, arises laterally below two 

 sterile cells which terminate the receptacle. The subterminal origin of the discharge tube of the antheri- 

 dium is a further and apparently constant difference; while the presence in the male individual of four, 

 in place of three, cells, serves to separate the two genera at once. The difference in size between the male 

 and female spores is usually very striking, Plate XLII, figs. 24, 25 and 29, and as in the other dioecious 

 genera, one almost invariably finds that the two have been discharged simultaneously and have devel- 

 oped side by side. When the discharge of spores has been copious, however, and the individuals are 



