Stó'
M
Iii;
If1
with a whitish pulverescence, the disk dilated, concave, with a thin inflexed
border. Asci gelatinous, filiform, fixed, containing very minute,
yellow, globose sporidia.
A plant of frequent occurrence, and belonging to a genus
not hitherto illustrated in this work. It contains hut few described
species, only eight being introduced into the Systema
of M. F ries. The genus itself was constructed by T ode,
who, for the time in which he wrote, had very accurate ideas
respecting the structure of many of the smaller fungi.
F r ie s has remarked of the Tympanides, that they possess
the habit of the Tuhermdariæ and Sphoeriæ ; and they are,
indeed, along with a few other related genera, intermediate between
the PezizecB and the large class Pyrenomycetes ; differing
from the former (to which they approach the nearest) in
their long duration, coriaceous substance, and filiform asci ;
neither are the sporidia expelled from the asci with elastic
force.
Fig. 1. T. conspersa, natural size. Fig. 2. An entire plant as it appears
bursting through the bark. Fig. 3. Section i f a plant removed from its
situation. Fig. 4. A young perithecium. Fig. 5. An old perithecium. Fig. 6.
Asci and sporidia ; magnified.