282 



Mycologia 



The affinities of the genus are not well understood. Saccardo 

 (23), Lindau (20) and Ellis and Everhart (9) have placed it in 

 the Hysteriaceae, while Spegazzini (27) included it in the Hemi- 

 hysteriaceae. Gaillard (15) first threw light on its real affinities. 

 He shows that the formation of perithecia takes place very much 

 as in Asterina and suggests that the genus be incorporated in the 

 Microthyriaceae. Theissen and Sydow (40) definitely include it 

 under that family. 



Lembosia microspora sp. nov. 



Colonies inconspicuous ; mycelium very sparse, widely effused, 

 hyphae septate at regular intervals, brown, 3-4 /x in diam., occa- 

 sionally branched and anastomosing; hyphopodia absent; asco- 

 mata epiphyllous, scattered, black, very rarely confluent, linear, 

 straight or more often curved, ends obtuse, 250-750 x 100-180 fx, 

 in rare cases exceeding 1 mm. in length; asci ellipsoidal to sub- 

 globose, 8-spored, 19-23 x 10-13 //,; spores inordinate, rather un- 

 equally septate, hyaline, becoming dark brown at maturity, 8-1 1 x 

 4-5 fx; paraphyses inconspicuous (figs. 1-3). 



Differs from all other known species of Lembosia in the small 

 size of the spores. Another prominent feature is the inconspic- 

 uous character of the colonies due to the very scant development 

 of mycelium. 



Material examined: 



On Ocotea leucoxylon (Sw.) Mez. (with an undetermined 

 microthyriaceous form on the under surface of the leaf). Cor- 

 nell University Explorations of Porto Rico (Whetzel & Olive), 

 No. 621, Maricao, Mar. 16, 1916 (type). 



Lembosia melastomatum Mont., PI. Cellul. Cent. VII : 373. 

 Lembosia diffusa Winter Hedwigia 24: 30. 1885. 

 The Porto Rican collections of this form have all been reported 



Key to Porto Rican Species 



A. Colonies inconspicuous; spores small, 8-1 1 /* long. 



B. Colonies very conspicuous, spores larger. 



1. Spores 28-35 A 6 long. 



2. Spores 16-20 fi long. 



a. Hyphopodia present; on Coccoloba. 



b. Hyphopodia absent ; on Agave. 



L. microspora 



L. tenella 



L. Dendrochili 



L. melastomatum 



