It is unfortunate that the granulation on the walls of the hairs was overlooked in the original description by Dennis (1961), who referred the species to Pseudohelotium because of the form of the asci and ascospores. Pseudohelotium pineti (Batsch: Fries) Fuckel, (the type species) has simple paraphyses, asci with a distinctly amyloid apical pore, short, smooth, clavate hair-like elements at the apothecial margin and a pigmented excipular tissue. Clearly, the present species cannot be accommodated in Pseudohelotium and, indeed, the presence of differentiated, granulate hairs suggests it is better referred to Hyaloscyphaceae. It is in some respects similar to species of Lachnellula but differs in lacking agglutinated excipular hyphae, having a conical ascus apex, much-branched paraphyses and in occurring on a non-woody substratum. The hairs in the material examined, though granulate over most of their length, are smooth towards the base and this approaches the situation in Cistella. However, in that genus the hairs are usually clavate, with granulation confined to the tip of the apical cell. Species of Cistella also differ in having asci with an amyloid apical pore, though septate spores do occur and it is possible that these genera are related. Species of Lachnum differ in having simple, usually lanceolate paraphyses, asci with an amyloid apical pore and hairs which are granulate throughout their length. There seems to be no existing genus to which the present species may be appropriately referred, and a new genus is, therefore, proposed here to accommodate it.

Pseudohelotium asperotrichum, recently described from culms of Juncus sarophorus in Australia, was said to differ from P. juncicola in having granulate hairs and less profusely branched paraphyses. However, the type material is closely similar in all respects to that of P. juncicola except for the latter character, which alone cannot be regarded as of taxonomic significance. They are undoubtedly conspecific.

The apothecia are gregarious, nestled amongst conspicuous, white subicular hyphae. They appear sessile but, when examined in longitudinal section, are seen to possess a very short, central stipe by which they are at first loosely attached to the substrate, as figured by Korf (1978). However, apothecia frequently become detached and suspended free from the substrate amongst the subicular hyphae.

The appearance of this species is similar to that of Eriopezia caesia, having dark apothecia which contrast markedly with a white subiculum, though in A. samuelsii the subiculum is far less dense. The excipular structure is also comparable in these species, comprising brown cells towards the base which become narrower upwards and form parallel hyphae towards the margin. Apothecia of E. caesia have a well-developed stipe and a thick, well-developed excipular tissue which gives rise at the surface to hyaline, much-branched subicular hyphae. These hyphae, unlike those In the figure published by Korf (1978), arise over the entire surface of the receptacle, even to the extreme margin. Thus, the apothecia of Eriopezia are not so much seated on a subiculum as immersed in it, as though in a loosely constructed stroma. The subicular hyphae have finely granulate walls, and this granulation is not dissolved in Melzer's reagent, though is partially so after prolonged immersion in Cotton blue in lactophenol. In contrast, apothecia of A. samuelsii have a very short stipe and a reduced excipular tissue which gives rise to branched subicular hyphae only towards the base of the receptacle, these hyphae being encrusted with small particles which are readily soluble in Melzer's reagent. Only simple, hyaline hairs are present over the upper part of the receptacle, which stands free of the subiculum.

Further significant differences between these species are apparent. The paraphyses of E. caesia are frequently forked or branched whereas those of A. samuelsii are simple, coherent and sheathed with gel. The asci of the former are minute, usually less than 35 µm long, and contain small, unicellular ascospores whereas those of A. samuelsii are frequently greater than 100 µm in length and contain ascospores which are large, septate and surrounded by a 0.5 mm thick gelatinous sheath. These differences make me unwilling to follow Korf in referring the two species to the same genus, and, as E. caesia is the type species of Eriopezia, I propose here a new genus to accommodate E. samuelsii.

Korf (1978) distinguished two tribes, Polydesmieae and Arachnopezizeae, in subfamily Arachnopezizoideae, based on the position of the apothecia in relation to the substrate and subiculum. Apothecia of species of Polydesmieae are attached to the substrate, whereas those of Arachnopezizeae arise directly from subicular hyphae. If this division is maintained, Austropezia must fall, with Eriopezia, in the Polydesmieae. However, the tenuous attachment to the substrate exhibited by apothecia of A. samuelsii may render such a division difficult to uphold, and there is no other indication that the genus is more closely related to Polydesmia than to Arachnopeziza. Apothecia of Arachnopeziza have a comparable, though hyaline, ectal excipulum, but develop directly from the subicular hyphae and are never attached to the substrate. They differ further from those of Austropezia in having well-developed hairs. The inter-relationships of these genera are difficult to interpret and, as discussed in the introduction to the Hyaloscyphaceae, the taxonomy of the genera currently assigned to subfamily Arachnopezizoideae is not yet entirely satisfactory.

DERIVATION: Named in honour of Sven Berggren, collector of the type material.

This collection by Berggren is partially annotated by Cooke and has been previously determined as Dasyscypha nivea, from which it is clearly distinct in the larger spores and completely granulate hairs. Apothecia occur on fragments of undetermined bark and are, unfortunately, in a comparatively poor state of preservation. Dried apothecia are frequently a unicolorous orange-brown, and the hairs are difficult to observe. The structure of the excipular tissue is also difficult to interpret, the hyphae now being collapsed and compacted, and further collections are required to confirm or amplify the description given above. The ectal cells are prismatic and more or less thin-walled and the structure appears to be typical of the genus. Fortunately, the apothecia are fully mature and yield abundant spores, and the species should prove readily recognizable. It is distinguished by the fusoid spores, narrow paraphyses and hairs bearing abundant particles of yellowish-brown, resinous matter.

Lachnum berggrenii is perhaps related to L. lachnoderma, but has shorter and broader, non-septate spores and narrower paraphyses. The spores are remarkably similar to those, of L. filiceum, but that is a distinctive species occurring exclusively on ferns and having shorter, unencrusted hairs and lanceolate paraphyses.

The description given is based entirely on the New Zealand collection, which had been previously determined as Dasyscyphus virgineus and reported under this name by Dennis (1961). It differs from that species in having smaller, more clavate spores, shorter and narrower paraphyses and fewer, comparatively shorter hairs. The apothecia do not have the appearance of being densely clothed with hairs and, when rehydrated, often appear virtually glabrous. A similar appearance is evidently typical of D. brevipila which, according to Le Gal (1939), has the appearance of a Helotium because of the short, scarcely visible hairs. British material under this name in K varies with regard to stipe length, but the species typically has a slender stipe. The published figure of 10-15 mm given for the diameter of the apothecia is, as noted by Dennis (1949), surely an error, probably by omission of the decimal point, as it was suggested by Le Gal that the species could be confused macroscopically with D. virginea or D. nivea. It, therefore, has smaller apothecia than the present collection, which also differs in having rather longer hairs. The spore shape agrees well with that illustrated by Le Gal, though the spores of the British Collection examined are slightly smaller.

It is possible that recognition of a variety of D. brevipila may eventually prove justified but, until further collections are available to confirm the differences noted here, such a proposal is premature.

Transfer of the epithet 'brevipila' to Lachnum is precluded under Article 64 of the International Code for Botanical Nomenclature as this would create a later homonym of L. brevipilum (Hõhnel) Nannfeldt.

This distinctive species is in some ways atypical of Lachnum. The margin extends beyond the surface of the disc to form an urceolate receptacle which narrows upwards to a small, rounded aperture which is fringed with hairs. The hairs at the margin are densely crowded and, except near the base, have completely granulate walls. However, elsewhere on the receptacle hairs are comparatively few and scattered and mostly appear smooth, at least after staining in Melzer's reagent. The hairs are comparatively short and clavate towards the apex and in form resemble those of Cistella, though in that genus the hairs are thin-walled, not more than 2-septate and have granulation confined to the apical region.

The structure of the ectal excipulum is also atypical of Lachnum, being composed in the lower receptacle of broad cells in irregular rows at a rather high angle to the surface. However, nearer the margin, the cells lie in more regular chains, parallel to the surface and characteristically prismatic. The asci and lanceolate paraphyses are quite typical of Lachnum and this seems the most appropriate genus in which to place this species.

The report of "Peziza filicea" from Cheddar (England. Somerset) by Bucknall (1882) was repeated by subsequent authors such as Phillips (1887), Saccardo (1889) and Massee (1895), and is the sole basis for inclusion of this species in check-lists of British discomycetes. However, re-examination of the Bucknall collection, preserved at Kew, shows this to be based on an error in identification. This collection consists of portions of a frond of Pteridium aquilinum bearing, on the undersurface of the pinnules, minute yellowish apothecia referable to Hyaloscypha flaveola (Cooke) Nannf. There are no subsequent reports of Peziza filicea from Britain, and a later collection under this name in Kew, from Lyndhurst, Hampshire ex Herb. Massee, is on an herbaceous stem and referable to Cistella grevillei (Berk.) Massee.

This species is evidently known, as yet, only from the holotype collection, no other material having come to attention during the present study. However, this collection is in good condition and all apothecia are quite constant in appearance. None of the closely related species discussed below has any apothecia with such colours, and L. melanophthalmum would appear to be a good, distinctive species most readily recognized by the colour of the disc, which is black when dry. The hairs are rather short and whitish, but bear variable quantities of a deep amber-coloured resinous exudate so that apothecia frequently appear to be clothed with brown hairs. The spores are evidently slightly longer than in the most closely related taxa, though further collections would be desirable to confirm this observation. There is no doubt that the species is congeneric with the type of Lachnum, and the appropriate combination is, therefore, proposed.

Haines & Dumont (1984) have published a revision of the long-spored lignicolous species of Lachnum. These are mostly tropical in distribution, but the intergradation of spore length with mostly shorter-spored temperate species seems to preclude the possibility of recognizing them as a distinct taxonomic unit. Encrustation of the hairs with coloured, resinous exudate is characteristic of many of these species, some of which are similar and surely closely related to L. melanophthalmum. However, most differ in having longer spores and none of the known species has such a deeply pigmented disc. Lachnum acterotii (A. L. Smith) Haines & Dumont is close to the present species, but differs, apart from disc colour, in having slightly shorter spores which are regularly 3-septate. Lachnum brasitiense (Mont.) Haines & Dumont is also very close, having comparable, often 1-septate spores, but has a pale disc and pure white hairs which completely lack resinous exudate.

Two further species, L. lachnoderma and L. nothofagi. recorded as yet only from the Australasian region, are probably also closely related to L. melanophthalmum. The relationships and status of these species are discussed below. The former is, perhaps, closer to L. sclerotii in having 3-septate spores, but L. nothofagi appears to differ from L. melanophthalmum only in having a paler disc and shorter spores.

This was originally described as a variety of Dasyscyphus emerici. Apothecia of the type of that species (India, Nilgiri Hills, on dead stem (? Rubus), no. 90) though similar in general appearance, have a somewhat darker disc and shorter, non-septate spores 18-26 x 1.7-2.5 µm, smaller asci 75-85 x 5-0-6.5 µm and hairs which are almost always swollen and thicker walled at the apex. The taxa seems closely related but, in view of these differences and that of substrate, are probably best regarded as specifically distinct. The relationship between the present species and L. melanophthalmum is also close. Lachnum nothofagi lacks the dark disc of that species and rarely has any resinous exudate on the hairs, and although there is little difference in hairs, spore length or ascus size, it is probably specifically distinct.

Variation in spore length has frequently been noted for related species of Lachnum and, unless large numbers of collections are available, as examined for example by Haines & Dumont (1984) in their investigation of the long-spored lignicolous taxa, species delimitation may present difficulties and require subsequent revision. The two Australian collections here interpreted as conspecific with L. nothofagi differ slightly in spore length but agree well in other respects and do not provide evidence for a continuous series linking this species with L. melanophthalmum and Dasyscyphus emerici. There is intergradation and no great difference in spore length between them and, although one collection (Beaton 93) has some apothecia with hairs apically encrusted with amber-coloured resin, they probably fall within the range of variation of a single species.

Dennis (1961) discussed the relationship of L. nothofagi with the Javanese Dasyscypha javanica Penzig & Saccardo and D. ochroleucus Penzig & Saccardo. The former was shown by Haines (1980) to be a synonym of D. oncospermatis and is evidently restricted to fern stems. However, the latter, on bark in Java, is very like L. nothofagi with spores described as 27-28 x 3 µm and, as figured by Penzig & Saccardo, (1904), very similar in shape, but lacking septa. I have not seen material but it is possible that this may provide an earlier name for L. nothofagi.

The type material is, unfortunately, rather scanty and I have not examined microtome sections for details of the excipular structure. The walls of the ectal cells are mostly thickened and somewhat refractive, but the structure is otherwise quite characteristic of the genus.

This is a distinctive species which may be readily recognized by the reddish-brown disc, small spores and yellow-brown hairs. The latter have thickened walls which appear also to have a secondary internal thickening so that the lumen is very reduced and appears as a narrow central band. The granulation on the walls of the hairs is continuous but uneven, being coarser in patches, particularly near the apex. In addition the walls are encrusted by small, irregular particles of brownish, resinous matter which appear insoluble in distilled water but readily dissolve in Melzer's reagent.

It is uncertain to which species L. pteridicolum is most closely allied. Two tropical pteridicolous species, Dasyscyphus ulei (Winter) Saccardo and D. chermesinus Cash have red discs and are closely related to each other but differ from L. pteridicolum in having smaller apothecia, much larger, fusoid spores and, hyaline, thin-walled hairs. They are discussed by Haines (1980).

This species is known from two collections, both of which show some surface blackening of the substrate, though not in association with all apothecia, and, in addition, more or less conspicuous black stromatic lines beneath the surface. The irregular granular deposition of pigment in the excipular hyphae is characteristic of many species of Lanzia, and there is no doubt that the species is correctly placed here. Dennis (1961, 1964) suggested for this species an affinity with Chlorosplenium. He compared the surface hairs to those of C. versiforme, but excluded the species from Chlorosplenium because of the lack of green tints in the apothecia. However, Dixon (1975) established the genus Chlorencoelia, typified by C. versiforme, and showed the structure of this species to be akin to that of Encoelia, having an ectal excipulum composed of angular cells quite unlike that of H. allantosporum.

The surface hairs of the present species are longer and more distinct than in many species of Lanzia, and the spores also provide diagnostic characters. I am not aware of any other species referred either to Lanzia or Rutstroemia, which have spores of a similar shape.

This beautiful and distinctive taxon is known only from two collections from Auckland, New Zealand. It differs from the type in the more conspicuous meshwork of surface hyphae, which project beyond the disc as a fringe of marginal teeth, the dark stipe and less flared margin. In addition, the paraphyses are simple, clavate or capitate at the apex and the asci are slightly longer and have a less cylindrical form. There are no differences in the ascospore characters. These differences in the form of the apothecia correlate with a difference in host, which provides further evidence for regarding these taxa as distinct at varietal level.

Lanzia berggrenii was redescribed and illustrated by Beaton & Weste (1976c) as Pezizella nothofagi. They have accurately described the asci, paraphyses and excipular structure, but failed to note the presence of a stroma.

This species was described and illustrated by Dennis (1961) as Helotium griseliniae. Subsequently, Dumont (1975) reported the presence of a black line-stroma in the type material, and transferred the name to Lanzia. The species is known only from the type collection, which consists of two leaves bearing several well-developed apothecia erumpent from the underside of the blades. In one leaf, a general blackening of the surface is apparently caused by a sooty mould and the only clear line-stroma delimits an area at the edge of the blade remote from the apothecia. In the other, a line stroma runs across the blade above the petiole though cannot be shown to be positively associated with the apothecia. However, a slight stromatic development which does seem to be associated with an apothecium is present near the blade edge. The structure and pigmentation of the apothecia also strongly suggests that this species belongs in the Sclerotiniaceae. The species is probably best placed in Lanzia. However, until fresh material is available and can be successfully grown in culture, the existence and characters of a stroma must remain uncertain.

There are several foliicolous species currently referred either to Lanzia or Rutstroemia which may be closely allied to L. griseliniae. These include Lanzia longipes (Cooke & Peck) Dumont & Korf, and L. luteovirescens (Roberge) Dumont & Korf (Dumont, 1975). Both are petiolicolous; the former lacks the characteristic pigmented surface hyphae of L. griseliniae, whereas the latter differs particularly in colour and in having broader ascospores. Rutstroemia pruni-serotinae Whetzel & White occurs on the leaf blade and produces conspicuous black stromatic lines. While comparable in colour and possessing a striolate surface to the receptacle, it has much smaller ascospores and is restricted to leaves of Prunus serotina. Lanzia rubescens (Kanouse) Dumont, on leaves of species of Alnus in North America has a similar stromatic development and yellow or orange apothecia which dry to a reddish colour. It differs from L. griseliniae in having much smaller ascospores and only very short hair-like hyphae projecting from the surface of the receptacle (Dumont, 1975). Lanzia albo-atra may be more closely related to the present species. It occurs on dead leaves in Brazil. A black line stroma is present in this species and the apothecia have an outer layer of hyphae terminating in apically free cells which are brown and frequently roughened, very similar in most respects to the structure of L. griseliniae (Dumont, 1981). Lanzia albo-atra differs most notably in colour, having a white hymenium and receptacle which dry black, and a black stipe, and also in having broader asci and spores. The characters of the foliicolous L. berggrenii and L. ovispora are discussed elsewhere in the present account.

DERIVATION: From Latin ovi-, egg, and spores, referring to the form of the ascospores.

Lanzia ovispora shows some similarity to L. berggrenii and the type collection had, in fact, been referred to L. metrosideri, treated in the present account as a variety of L. berggrenii, in the herbarium. Both are foliicolous species with a fibrillose surface meshwork on the receptacle. Lanzia ovispora differs from L. berggrenii in colour and in ascospore characters. Stromatic development is variable, though conspicuous in patches, and it undoubtedly belongs in the Sclerotiniaceae. The ectal excipulum of both the stipe and receptacle is composed of prismatic cells with somewhat thickened and refractive walls, though towards the margin the cells become thin-walled. I do not regard this as a gelatinized excipulum as exhibited by species of Poculum, and, therefore, refer this species to Lanzia. The fibrillose surface, composed of brown, granularly-roughened hyphae is also characteristic of the genus.

Lanzia griseliniae has similarly deep-coloured, foliicolous apothecia but lacks the fibrillose meshwork on the receptacle and differs otherwise from L. ovispora in having narrower spores and asci. Lanzia albo-atra (Hennings) Dumont is probably also closely related. It has a fibrillose covering layer to the receptacle and broad ascospores, but differs markedly in colour.

The three collections of this taxon from Victoria agree closely in most respects with the type material from New Zealand. However, in two of them, Beaton 13 and Beaton 95, the ascospores are budding, though not whilst still within the ascus. This is best observed in Beaton 13, in which the secondary spores are nearly always budded at or near the distal end of the spore. They are subglobose or broadly ellipsoid and frequently truncate at the point of attachment.

Dennis (1961) compared the structure of this taxon with that of Rutstroemia fusco-brunnea (Patouillard & Gaillard) Le Gal, which has similar but narrower and often slightly curved ascospores. The latter has been redescribed by Dumont (1981), who has shown the ectal excipulum to be composed of globose cells and has transferred the name to Moellerodiscus.

Amongst the species referred by Dennis (1964) to Hymenoscyphus series Prasinum, one other species, H. microspermus (Speg.) Dennis from Argentina, has small ascospores. This was referred to Rutstroemia by Gamundi (1962). From the description and figures she has supplied, the species is very similar to the present taxon, having yellowish apothecia with superficial dark brown fibrils, but less clavate and smaller ascospores 3.2-4.8(-5.6) x (1.3-)1.6-2.4 µm. The dark brown superficial hyphae have granulate walls, and a basal stroma is present. Clearly the species belongs in the Sclerotiniaceae. The single collection at Kew, cited by Gamundi, closely matches the type description and has, as she has described, caespitose apothecia which arise from a common sclerotioid mass. The species probably belongs in Lanzia, though such development is not characteristic of the genus. It does not occur in L. prasinum, and it is certain that these taxa are specifically distinct.

Helotium ambiguum Rick, on dead wood from Brazil, was described as having ascospores 7 x 3 µm. Dumont (1981) was unable to locate type material, so the taxonomic position of this species, and its possible relationship with L. prasinum, remains uncertain. Lanzia ambigua (Bresadola & Hennings) Carpenter, also from Brazil, is quite distinct on account of its brown apothecia up to 4 mm diam. and ascospores, 12-15 x 2.5-3.0 µm.

[notes from Lanzia prasinum description]

The small ascospores of L. prasinum are unusual but not diagnostic as a single criterion. Helotium novae-zealandiae is a very similar taxon which exhibits comparable stromatic development and cannot be distinguished from L. prasinum on ascospore characters alone. Dennis (1964) considered it to be a synonym. However, there are structural differences between these taxa which are reflected in the external appearance of the apothecia. Dried apothecia of L. prasinum bear an olive-yellow furfuraceous covering which microtome sections reveal to be due to ectal hyphae which terminate in clavate, free tips which are hyaline or very faintly pigmented. The disc of this taxon was described by Massee (1901) as chlorinous and, when rehydrated, now appears pale lemon-yellow. The margin is crenulate and the receptacle yellow or yellowish brown, becoming lemon-yellow towards the margin, the stipe is largely concolorous, being dark only at the extreme base. There are three collections in K, in addition to the type, which are referable to H. novae-zealandiae. These agree well with the type collection and differ from L. prasinum in having a yellow disc which is whitish when rehydrated, and in lacking an olive yellow furfuraceous surface. Instead, the receptacle is yellow, streaked conspicuously with dark brown or blackish fibrils which are most densely set in the lower part. The stipe is slightly downy and either dark brown to blackish throughout, or pale only at the extreme apex. The dark brown ectal hyphae of the stipe terminate in concolorous, cylindrical or only slightly clavate free tips. The striate appearance of the receptacle is produced by adpressed, cylindrical, 1-2-septate hair-like hyphae. These collections differ further from L. prasinum in having asci with an apical pore which does not stain blue in Melzer's reagent. Though Massee (1901) described the asci of L. prasinum as non-staining, the pore is, in fact, clearly outlined blue in Melzer's reagent.

Lanzia prasinum and H. novae-zealandiae are undoubtedly very closely related, but available evidence indicates that they can be distinguished. The observable differences seem unlikely to be the result of variation within a single taxon, but are scarcely sufficient to warrant recognition of two species. I propose, accordingly, to treat H. novae-zealandiae as a variety of L. prasinum. Because H. novae-zealandiae has proved not to be restricted to New Zealand, and as the visible distinction between the taxa is one of colour, I propose a new name Lanzia prasinum var. nigripes for this taxon.

The hairs of this species are finely granulate throughout most of their length and remain so after pre-treatment with 5% KOH and staining with Melzer's reagent. Raitviir (1970) suggested that, on this basis, the species may deserve separation from Perrotia which he considered to typically have encrusted hairs which appear smooth after similar treatment. However, much variation is evident in the surface ornamentation of the hairs in the various species of both Perrotia and Lachnellula. Even in P. flamea the hairs may remain partially granulate in Melzer's reagent and an attempted segregation of genera on this basis alone seems unwarranted.

The form of the asci in P. alba is typical of the genus and the spores also are very similar in shape to those of P. flamea. The excipular structure is perhaps rather atypical, but the arrangement of the hyphae at a large angle to the surface and development of a cellular surface layer is similar to that in other species of the genus.

The ascus characters suggest Perrotia as an appropriate genus for this taxon and the excipular structure, closely similar to that of the type of the genus in having thick-walled, agglutinated elements arranged more or less perpendicularly to the surface, provides additional evidence for this.

The apparent lack of any distinct difference between this taxon and P. gallica suggests that they cannot be regarded as separate species. The geographical isolation and difference in host, as noted above, indicates the taxa are not identical and recognition at varietal level seems appropriate.

The above description is compiled from the holotype, the only collection of this taxon preserved in K. Apothecia arise mainly from the petiole and main veins. Stromatic development is evident as a blackened surface to the substrate, but is also clearly visible in transverse sections as two concentric black lines surrounding the core of the petiole. Longitudinal thin sections also reveal narrow, zig-zag black lines through the centre of the host tissue, and it is clear that the species should be referred to the Sclerotiniaceae. The ectal excipulum on the receptacle is composed of Interwoven hyphae immersed in a gel, visible as an unstained refractive layer when mounted in cotton blue, and the species is here considered to have been correctly placed in Poculum by Dumont (1975). It should be noted that the medullary excipulum stains distinctly blue throughout in Melzer's reagent, though more deeply so in the stipe.

This species was one of three referred by Dennis (1964) to Ciboriella, employed for foliicolous species with reddish tints, lacking stromatic tissue. However, stromatic development has since been demonstrated in all three species and the genus, as shown by Dumont (1975), is a synonym of Lanzia. Lanzia griseliniae is similar in appearance to the present species but lacks a gelatinized excipulum.

The holotype collection was previously reported by Dennis (1961) as Dasyscyphus inspersus (Berk. & Curtis) Saccardo (= Proliferodiscus inspersus (Berk. & Curtis) Haines & Dumont). Though closely related to that species, it differs in having larger asci which lack a blue pore in Melzer's reagent, larger, less clavate spores and less flexuous hairs. However, the apothecia proliferate from the disc in the same fashion as those of P. inspersus, and are generally very similar in appearance. Proliferodiscus dingleyi differs from P. earoleucus (Berk. & Broome) Haines & Dumont, which similarly has an iodine negative ascus pore, in having larger asci and spores and in lacking the dense covering of strongly curled and interwoven hairs characteristic of that species. The apothecia of P. earoleucus commonly have multibranched stipes but evidently only infrequently proliferate from the disc.

Apothecia of P. dingleyi are structurally similar to those of the type of the genus, although the subiculum -like hyphae may be scarcely evident at maturity. Nevertheless, these hyphae can be observed in vertical section and are more obvious in young apothecia. The excipular tissue does exhibit a dextrinoid reaction, though this is somewhat inconstant and frequently indistinct.