46 
Ohio Biological Survey 
ones, the number of cells ranging from 5 to 20, the length from 4b to 
115 mic., and the width from 1.5 to 5 mic.; asci clavate, the walls 0.5 to 
2 mic. thick laterally and 2 to 9 mic. thick at the apex; spores hyaline, 
2- to several-celled, but not muriform, 8 in each ascus and irregularly 
arranged in all of ours. 
On account of the flexible nature of the thallus, which is devoid of 
a strengthening plectenchymatous cortex, the algal host becomes enlarged 
and more or less plainly gelatinous when moist. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES OF SYNECHOBLASTUS 
Spores 2-celled. 
Apothecia marginal on the densely aggre¬ 
gated, erect lobules. 2. Synechoblastus pycnocarpus 
Apothecia scattered over the surface. 1. Synechoblastus ohioensis 
Spores more than 2-celled. 
A rudimentary plectenchymatous cortex 
often seen, usually sterile.5. Synechoblastus flaccidus 
Wholly devoid of cortex, usually fertile. 
Spores less than 40 mic. long. 4. Synechoblastus ryssoleus 
Spores more than 40 mic. long. 3. Synechoblastus nigrescens 
1. Synechoblastus ohioensis Fink sp. nov. 
Transforming the algal-host colony into a rather small, suborbicular 
or irregular, foliose body, which is 2 to 5 cm. across, 225 to 500 mic. 
thick, and rather loosely adnate, with ascending lobes, the margins of 
which are sometimes closely rugose lobulate, with the upper surface 
dark-olivaceous, varying toward black or green, with the lower surface 
lighter colored, and with the algal chains more numerous toward the 
surfaces, especially the upper; thallus of rather densely disposed hyphse, 
which are somewhat uniformly distributed with their course, mainly 
perpendicular to the surfaces, but in part irregular, or roughly horizontal 
toward the center, 3 to 8 mic. wide; rhizoids well developed and com¬ 
monly seen in sections of thalli; apothecia common, small to middle- 
sized, sessile, scattered, 0.5 to 2.5 mm. in diameter; disk flat or convex, 
red- tO' dark-brown, surrounded by an entire thalloid margin, which may 
extend above it or may rarely become overgrown; exciple hyaline, of 
interwoven hyphse, but plectenchymatoid above; hypothecium of inter¬ 
woven hyphse, 80 to 120 mic. thick; hymenium 65 to 105 mic. thick; 
paraphyses frequently and variously branched; asci 55 to 65 mic. long, 
and 13 to 16 mic. wide; spores ovoid to ellipsoid-pointed, 2-celled, 12 
to 24 mic. long and 5 to 8 mic. wide. See Fig. 25. 
