HYSTERIUM GRAMINEUM.
Grass-culm Hysterium.
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C la s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGASIIA FUNGI, ¿ { « » .— N a t . O r d . H YPO X Y LA ,
De Cand. Grev.
GEN ERIC CHARACTER.
Crusta nulla. Peridium plerumque óblongum, corneum, rima longitudinali dehiscens.
Sporuke in tuhulis hyalinis elongatis, erectis, gelatinosis.
Crust none. Peridium mostly oblong, corneous, bursting by a longitudinal
slit. Sporules contained in hyaline, elongated, erect, gelatinous tubes.
S P E C IF IC CHARACTER.
H ysterium g ram in e um ; minutmn, gregarium, oblongo-ellipticum, convexum,
nigrum; tubulis sporuliferis Jiliformibus; sporulis globosis pellucidis.
H. minute, gregarious, oblong-elliptical, convex, black ; sporuliferous tubes
filiform ; sporules globose, hyaline.
H ysterium gramineum, Pers. MSS,—Moug. et Nestl. PI. Exsicc. No. 368.
H ab. On the dead culms and leaves o f various grasses, extremely common.
Autumn.
Gregarious, black, minute, elliptical or linear-oblong, convex, the orifice extending
nearly to each extremity. Sporuliferous tubes few, hyaline, filiform,
obtuse. Sporules very minute, round, colourless.
It is surprising that so common a plant should not have
earlier attracted the attention of the cryptogamie botanist.
The first notice of it I can find, is in the eminently useful work
published by Drs M o u g e o t and N e s t l e r , quoted in the synonymes
; but no description or figure of it has yet been given.
It frequently happens, that H y ste rium gramineum never
comes to perfection, owing „probably to some cause in the plant
on which it is parasitic. It then merely assumes the form of
a dark oval line, ivith no trace of dehiscence.