100(99) Spores with germ slit along the side. Ascus with a large and complex plug at the tip staining blue or red in KI (other genera have asci with blue staining ascus tips, but the feature is very pronounced in this genus and is unlikely to be mistaken). Perithecia form singly or severally in a stroma which is usually of limited extent, often without a definite margin. [N.B. if orange and with a stroma see _Selinia_, 119]. (_Hypocopra_, fig. 32) 101 - Spores without germ slits, but often asymmetrical, and with a small papilla at the basal end. Asci without complex apical plug. (_Sordaria_, fig. 33) 107 101(100) Spores mostly less than 25µm long. 102 - Spores more than 25µm long. 104 102(101) Spores 9-14 × 6-7µm. _Hypocopra parvula_ - Spores larger. 103 103(102) Stroma with a brown hyphal mat between perithecial necks. Spores 19-27 × 10-14µm. _Hypocopra equorum_ (fig. 32) - Stroma with white hyphae between black perithecial necks, becoming smooth. Spores 23-25 × 12-14µm. _Hypocopra brefeldii_ 104(101) Ascospores up to 15µm wide. 105 - Ascospores 15µm or wider. 106 105(104) Ascospores 25-31 × 10-15µm, distinctly flattened on one side. Ascus plug blue in KI, but becoming reddish. _Hypocopra planispora_ - Ascospores 26-32 × 13-14µm, ellipsoid and narrowed towards their ends. _Hypocopra stephanophora_ 106(104) Ascospores 27-43 × 16-20µm. _Hypocopra merdaria_ - Ascospores 38-50 × 19-24µm. _Hypocopra stercoraria_ 107(100) Spores up to 10µm long. 108 - Spores 10µm or longer. 109 108(107) Asci 8-spored. Spores 8 × 4µm. _Sordaria minima_ - Asci ca 128-spored. Spores 5-8 × 4-5µm. _Sordaria polyspora_ 109(107) Spores relatively narrow, at least twice as long as wide, 22-26 × 9-12µm. Gelatinous sheath broad, distinct. _Sordaria alcina_ - Spores relatively broad, less than twice as long as wide. 110 110(109) Spores mostly 25µm or longer. 111 - Spores up to 25µm long. 112