Rhoads : Daldinia vernicosa 279 



Summary of Trees Bearing Sporophores of Daldinia vernicosa by Species 



and Size 







No. of trees on 



No. bearing 



Per cent bear- 



Species 



D. B. H. inches 



sporophores of 



ing sporophores 







area 



D. vernicosa 



of D. vernicosa 





2 



12 



3 



25 



o 



O x 



16 



31 



" 



4 



37 



5 



14 





5 



40 



5 



12 





6 



33 



6 



l8 





7 



27 



1 



4 





8 



19 



0 



0 





9 



8 



0 



0 





10 



3 



0 



0 



.« << 



1 1 



6 



0 



0 



Quercus alba, total trees 





236 



36 



15 





i 



7 



2 



29 





2 



12 



4 



33 





3 



6 



2 



33 





4 



5 



0 



0 



it i < 



5 



3 



0 



0 





6 



1 



0 



0 



ii << 



7 



1 



1 



100 



Hicoria alba, total trees 





35 



9 



26 



sporophores of this 



fungus. 



Sporophores gathered 



and taken 



into the laboratory at this time shed copious quantities of spores. 



Associated with Daldinia vernicosa was another pyrenomycete, 

 Nummular ia Bnlliardi Tul. The stroma of this fungus is effused, 

 thin, and crustaceous. It overspreads the surface of the inner 

 bark, throwing off the epidermis for 6 inches or more in extent 

 and is black and carbonaceous at maturity. This fungus, how- 

 ever, was found only on the white oak and scarlet oak trees. It is 

 quite common throughout this region but always associated with 

 dead oak trees. It is not, however, so restricted to fire-killed trees 

 as is its associate, Daldinia vernicosa, but is apparently always 

 associated with dead trees, preferably oak trees. 



The genus Daldinia is characterized by the peculiar structure of 

 the stroma, which is superficial, subglobose, and has a black and 

 carbonaceous external layer when mature, in which the perithecia 

 are imbedded. The stroma is softer inside, of a radiate-fibrous 

 structure and concentrically zoned. 



There are 24 species of Daldinia, mostly from the tropics, given 



