424 PROCEEDINGS : BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
Thecaphora aterrima Tul. 
Thecaphora aterrima Tul., Ami. Sci. Nat., Bot., hi, 7 : 110-111. 1847. 
Sorosporium atrum Pk., Bot. Gaz., 5 : 35. 1880. 
Tolyposporium aterrimum Diet., Nat. Pflanzenf., li * * ; 14 . 1897. 
Sori rather indefinite, at inner base of bracts of staminate spikes, 
hidden from view but on removal of bracts showing as black granu¬ 
lar spore masses, more rarely filling the perigynia (according to 
Peck) ; spore balls usually black browm, opaque, ovoid to spherical, 
firm, composed of 2-12 or rarely more spores, 17-35 p , rarely 50 p, 
in length ; spores dark reddish brown, triangular, semipolygonal or 
semicircular in cross section, more or less obscurely papillate on free 
surface, chiefly 10-16 p in length. 
Hosts. (arex adusta , la. ; O. Pennsylvania, Colo, (type S. 
atrum), Ivans.; Car ex sp., Ia. 
1 he writer has not seen specimens of this occurring in the perigy¬ 
nia, as described by Peck. There seems to be no good reason for 
keeping his species distinct from the European one. There is some 
question as to the generic position of this species, Dietel, for 
instance, placing it under Tolyposporium. Its germination has been 
reported by Cocconi. Literature : 33. 
Tolyposporella Atks. 
Bull. Corn. Uni., 3 1 : 16. 1897. 
Type : Tolyposporella Chrysopogonis Atks. 
Host: Chrysopogon nutans. Ala. 
Soii usually on the leaves, forming a black granular agglutinated 
L ooting } spore balls variable , sometimes indefinite ; spores dark 
coloied provided with a very thick , often sac-like epispore, usually 
of medium size; germination by a branched septate promycelium 
producing single lateral sporidia. 
The dark colored spores with a very thick epispore and the sori 
coating the infected surfaces are leading characteristics. The union 
of the spores into definite spore balls occurs only in the type species 
of the three given. The germination is known only of the type. 
So far the genus includes only the 3 species described here. 
