98 
FUNGI. 
spores obliquely 1-seriate, elliptical, ends obtuse, smooth and 
hyaline for a long time, then the epispore becomes violet and 
finally violet-brown, and marked with delicate anastomosing lines, 
16-18 x 9 p ; parapliyses straight, septate, the upper half gradually 
increasing in thickness, tips about 5 /x broad, orange. 
A remarkable species, intermediate between Ascobolus and 
Lachnea, agreeing with the former in having the epispore violet, 
then brownish, and minutely more or less longitudinally rugulose 
at maturity, the asci, however, so far as I have observed, do not 
project beyond the surface of the disc at maturity ; the large-celled 
parenchymatous excipulum also agrees with Ascobolus. In the 
early stage, while the spores are yet hyaline, the fungus would 
pass for a species of Lachnea. 
Mostly closely allied to Ascobolus brunneus, Cke., but clearly 
distinguished by the narrowly cylindrical asci, and 1-seriate, 
smaller spores. 
Ascobolus marginatus, Mass. 
Ascophore sessile, at first almost globose, then becoming narrowed 
at the base, apex truncate, disc at length quite plane, bounded by 
a slightly raised, blunt margin, soft and pellucid, almost hyaline or 
with a slight tinge of olive, quite glabrous ; -§-1 m.m. across ; 
excipulum parenchymatous, cells almost regularly hexagonal, 
10-16 /x diameter; asci clavate, apex slightly narrowed, pedicel 
short, slender, 8-spored, slightly projecting above the surface of 
the disc at maturity, 8-spored ; spores irregularly 2-seriate, 
elliptical, ends rather acute, continuous, epispore persistently 
smooth, pale rosy-violet, then purple-brown, 15-16x6-7 /x ; 
paraphyses hyaline, septate, about 2 /x thick, apex not thickened ; 
hypothecium minutely parenchymatous. 
On dung of ass. Kew. 
Distinguished by the small size of thespores and by the epispore re- 
maining perfectly smooth, and without marks or lines at maturity. 
Geopyxis Bloxami, Mass. 
Ascophore stipitate, hemispherical, then expanding and becom- 
ing saucer-shaped, or sometimes nearly plane, thin, rather flexible, 
margin entire, f-l-J c.m. across; externally smooth and even; 
stem |-1 c.m. long, about 3 m.m. thick, equal, smooth, even ; 
every part pale tan (in the dry state) ; excipulum formed of slender, 
hyaline, thin, intricately interwoven hyphae ; these pass near the 
surface into a parenchymatous cortex composed of polygonal cells, 
6-8 /x diameter ; asci cylindrical, apex truncate, narrowed at the 
base into a slender pedicel, 8-spored ; spores obliquely 1-seriate, 
hyaline, smooth, continuous, elliptic-oblong, ends obtuse, 34-38 x 
8-9 /x ; paraphyses septate, about 2 /x thick, apex not thickened, 
sometimes branched. 
On the ground. Oxford (Baxter). 
Allied in the form and size of the spores, and also in the 
structure of the excipulum, to Geopyxis coccinea, but distinguished 
by colour, being glabrous externally, and in growing on the ground. 
