394 Petek. — The Genus Endocalyx , Berkeley and Broome . 
In all other respects these fungi are identical, and when the spores vary so 
much it seems scarcely wise to separate the second form even as a variety. 
In both cases the spores vary from angular to circular. 
Phaeodiscula gonospora, , Penz. & Sacc., is apparently the fair-weather 
form with a yellow rim and spores 9-10 x 8-9 fx, angular and compressed ; 
subspecies atrata has a black rim, and spores 9-10 \x diam., less angular and 
more compressed ; subspecies atratula has a black rim, and spores 12-15 [x 
diam., more distinctly angular ; and subspecies minutella has a yellow rim, 
and spores 10-12 fx diam. All these spore measurements fall within the 
limits obtained from a single pustule, and the yellow or apparently black 
rim is only a question of age or weather. 
The variations of E. melanoxanthus afford a good example of the 
opportunities of describing species which a single tropical fungus offers to 
those who have not watched its growth. 
Endocalyx cinctus, n. sp. 
This species occurs on decaying fronds of Oncosperma fascicidatum , but 
is rather rare. The only specimens at present available are fullgrown. It 
differs in several important particulars from E. melanoxanthus and is more 
closely allied to E. Thwaitesii. 
The mature fungus (Figs. 14, 15) is about 1-5 mm. high, and consists 
of a narrow cylindrical stalk expanding into a yellow, more or less funnel- 
shaped structure at the top. Viewed externally, the stalk appears to con- 
sist of two distinct parts. The lower part is black, rough, and cylindric, 
•5—6 mm. high, about *i mm. in diameter, expanding somewhat abruptly at 
the top to sometimes twice the diameter, and terminating with a horizontal 
upper edge. From the centre of the flattened top springs a narrower 
column, -o6— 1 mm. diameter, blackish brown at the base, becoming yellow 
upwards : this part is either of uniform diameter for the greater part of its 
length and then expands suddenly at the apex, or is regularly funnel- 
shaped throughout its whole length. The upper part for a depth of about 
•5 mm. splits longitudinally into five or six spreading lobes, rectangular in 
outline and usually recurved. This division concerns the outer wall of the 
column only : the inner portion is a mass of black spores. The spreading 
lobes of the outer wall are very brittle and break off in plate-like fragments, 
up to -5 mm. long. The top of the funnel is *25—5 mm. in diameter. 
In vertical section (Fig. 16) the lower black part of the stalk is seen to 
be a hollow cylinder of vertical, more or less parallel hyphae. The hyphae 
on the inner surface, which are only slightly blackened, are about 2 /x 
diameter, but the remainder are converted into a black carbonaceous mass 
in which individual hyphae can scarcely be recognized. If the fungus 
is soaked in ammonia, and then pressed under a cover glass, the black 
