i
S P H Æ H IA P o i ï i s -PYRIUS.
Small black furrowed Sphæria.
S P E C IF IC CHARACTEII.
Sphæria Pulvis-pyrius; nuda, conferfa, atra, peritheciis globosis, rugosiusai-
lis, medio plerumque stdcatis.
Sph . n ak ed , c row ded, b la c k , th e p e rith e c ia globose, som ew h a t rugose,
more o r less sulcate a t th e top.
S p h æ r ia Pulvis-pyrius, Pers. Syn. Fung. p. 86— Alb. et Schwdn. p. 49.—
Wahl. Fl. Lapp. p. 521.— De Cand. Fl. Franç. v. 6. p. l i l .— Nees, Syst.
t. 43. p. S iS .— Sclmm. Soelland. v. 2. p. I5p.— Schwein. Fung. Carol: Sup.
No. 210— Fries, in Vet. Ac. Handl. 1817, p. 2.59.— Sclerom. Suec. No. 312.
— Sy.it. Mycol, v. 2. p. MS.— Moug. et Nestl. Stirp. Fxsicc. No. 381.—
Purt. Midi, Ft, V. 3. p. 282. (sub Sjdi. .ipermoide).—Hook. Fl. Scot. p t. 2.
p. 8.— Grev. Fl, Fdin. p. 365.
H ab. O n d e ad wood, p a rtic u la rly th e rem a in s o f fe lled trees, ex trem e ly
common.
Perithecia n a k ed , ex trem e ly c row d ed an d n um e ro u s, m in u te , black, irr e g u la
rly globose, m in u te ly tu b e rcu lo so -ru g o se, th e sum m it m o stly c le ft b y
one o r more fu rrow s or r a th e r ga sh e s ( if th e exp re ssio n b e allowable),
g iv in g to th e p e rith e c ium a good de al o f th e c h a ra c te r o i a Hysterium. ’
A well-marked species, considerably larger than the pre-
jeding, and of a more opake black. The furrowed apex of the
jierithecia is so remarkable, that it is alone sufficient to dis-
ringuish the plant.
My friend Mr P u r t o n has brought our plant as a synonym
under Sphæria ' spernwides, already figured in this work.
They are, however, unquestionably distinct, and Sph. sper-
. moides is a great deal more rare than the subject of tlie present
description.
Fig. 2. a, Sph. Pulvis-pyrius, nat.
thecium divided.
size, b, Perithecia, magnijied. c, A perir
!'