VIII. FUNGI. 
623 
41. ASCHERSONIA, Mont. 
Small, yellow or pallid, fleshy, superficial Fungi, growing on living vege- 
table substances. Cells tubular, interlaced, arranged concentrically. Spores 
upon filiform sporophores, simple or septate, escaping by broad open pores. 
A small tropical and subtropical genus. 
1. A. duplex, Berlc. in FI. N. Z. ii. 194. Minute, tt bi. broad, 
yellow, convex, lobed like a raspberry, rarely simple, convex, and containing 
only one cell ; cells variable in size, one or more in each lobe. Spores oblong, 
hyaline, 3^0 in. long. 
Northern Island : on leaves of Astelia, Colenso. 
42. PHLYCT2ENA, Desmazieres. 
Minute, epiphytic Fungi. Perithecium spurious, formed of the blackened 
cuticle of the plant, convex, opening by a pore, containing a gelatinous nucleus. 
Spores curved, elongate, spindle-shaped, upon very short sporophores. 
A temperate and tropical genus. 
1. P. dissepta, Berk, in FI. N. Z. ii. 194. 1. 106./. 14. Spots scattered, 
variable in form, in patches -j ^-1 in. long, surrounded by a black, flexuous, 
irregular line, black or colourless. Spores very slender, elongate, strongly 
curved at the apex, g-i-g- in. long, on slender sporophores. 
Northern Island : on dead stems of Rhipogonum, Colenso. Possibly a form of Pern- 
phidium opacum. 
43. PILIDIUM, Kunze. 
Minute epiphyllous Fungi. Perithecium flat, shield-like, smooth, shining, 
tough, variously ruptured. Spores simple, linear, curved, without sporophores, 
that is with the sporophores sunk in the perithecium. 
A small temperate and tropical genus. 
1. P. coriarise, Berk, in FI. N. Z. ii. 195. Perithecia black, rather 
rigid, seldom collapsed, at length perforate in the centre. Spores linear, 
slightly curved, obscurely narrowed at either end, x ^ 00 in. long. 
Northern Island : on dead leaves of Coriaria sarmentosa, Colenso. 
44. ASTEROMA, DC. 
Minute epiphyllous Fungi. Perithecia attached to crisped branching 
threads, flat, with no determinate orifice. Spores simple or 1-septate. 
A considerable genus of temperate Fungi. 
1. A. dilatatum, Berk, in FI. Antarct. 173. t. 68 . /. 7. Forming super- 
ficial, suborbicular, olive-black patches, £ in. broad, with lobed edges ; lobes 
dilated, consisting of serpentine filaments, so crowded together as to form a 
membrane. Spores unknown. 
