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CRYPÏOSPHÆRIA m i l l e p d n c t a t a .
Many-dotted Cryptosphoeria.
/
C la s s a n d O r d e u CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI, Lmn—ÎÎAT. O rd . HYPOXYLA,
De Cand. Grev.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Receptaculum 0. Sphærulæ duriusculæ, sparsoe vel aggregatæ, sub epidermide
insidentes, are nunc depresso mmc elongato, quandoque nuüo ; intus massa
gelatinosa sporulifera instructoe.
Receptacle 0. Spherules mostly corneous, scattered or aggregate, lying
beneath the epidermis, with the mouth depressed, elongated or want-
ing, containing a gelatinous sporuliferous mass.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Cr y p t o s p hæ r ia millepunctata ; perithecia numerosa sub epidermide immersa,
suhregulariter sparsa, ghbosa, nigra, ostiolo perbrevi, ohtuso, vix exserto;
thecæ apice acutæ, sporidiis linearibus, curvatis.
C. perithecia numerous, immersed beneath the epidermis, subregularly
scattered, globose, black, the orifice very short, obtuse, scarcely exsert-
ed ; thecæ acute at the apex, the sporidia linear, curved.
C r y p t o s p h æ r ia m ille p u n c ta ta , Grev. FI. Fdin. p . 360.
H ab. On the decaying small branches of the common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior),
the whole year, frequent.
The branches of the Ash tree producing this species, seem to the naked
eye to be covered w ith innumerable minute black dots. Under the microscope,
these are found to be the orifices of perithecia concealed beneath
the epidermis, The perithecia are of a globose form, black, corneous,
white within; and their very short obtuse orifices are scarcely
_ pushed beyond the level of the epidermis. Thecoe elongated, attenuated
at both extremities, containing 3-4 linear, curved, simple, obtuse spo-
ridia.
I t is SO difficult to determine the plants of this tribe, with-
out figures to consult, that it is possible the present individual
may be described in the Systema of M . F r i e s . A diligent
search, however, without success, induces me to continue it as
a distinct species, not elsewhere noticed, except in my Flora
VOL. IV.