Definition of "hypothecium" [hypothecium]

• In botany, the layer, usually dense, of hyphal tissue immediately beneath the hymenium. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "Thallus of very minute inconspicuous and evanescent, brown-black granules; apothecia minute, 0.2 to 0.4 mm. in diameter, adnate, dark brown to black, scattered or clustered, plain with a thin concolorous exciple visible, to convex with the exciple finally covered; hypothecium dark brown; hymenium pale brown; asci clavate; paraphyses coherent-indistinct; spores oblong-ellipsoid, 9 to 15 mic. long and 5 to"
• "Thallus granulose to verrucose and subareolate, sometimes inconspicuous and evanescent; apothecia minute to middle-sized, adnate or more or less immersed, exciple usually prominent and persistent, but sometimes becoming covered, disk flat to convex; hypothecium and hymenium pale to brown; spores simple, hyaline, minute, numerous in each ascus."
• "Thallus commonly granulose, and often passing into verrucose and chinky conditions, but scarcely ever areolate, sometimes scant and evanescent; apothecia usually minute or small, and commonly adnate, exciple weak and often becoming covered; hypothecium and hymenium passing from pale through shades of brown, the former becoming darker than the latter, this rarely tinged blue or violet above; spores hyaline, 2-celled."