ORDER V. TRICHIACEae.

Sporangium regular and stipitate or sessile, rarely plasmodiocarp; the wall a thin membrane, usually granular or venulose on the inner surface, colored as the spores and capillitium, irregularly dehiscent.

Capillitium of slender tubules, simple or branched, scarcely forming an evident network; the surface of the threads furnished with continuous ridges, which wind around the tube in a spiral manner. Spores globose, red, brown, yellow, olivaceous.

This order is readily recognized by the spiral ridges which wind around the tubules of the capillitium.

TABLE OF GENERA OF TRICHIACEae.

1. HEMIARCYRIA. Capillitium of long slender tubules, arising from the base of the sporangium, or issuing from the interior of the stipe; the spiral ridges parallel and conspicuous.

2. CALONEMA. Capillitium of slender tubules, arising from the base of the sporangium; the surface traversed by a system of branching veins.

3. TRICHIA. Capillitium consisting of numerous short slender tubules, called elaters, which are wholly free; the spiral ridges parallel and conspicuous.

4. OLIGONEMA. Capillitium scanty, composed of elaters habitually irregular and abnormal; the surface variously marked.

I. HEMIARCYRIA, Fr. Sporangia regular and stipitate, rarely plasmodiocarp, the wall at maturity breaking away from above downward, leaving more or less of the lower portion persistent. Stipe more or less elongated, rarely wanting, resting on a thin hypothallus. Capillitium of long slender tubules, more or less branched, arising from the base of the sporangium, or issuing from the interior of the stipe; the spiral ridges parallel and conspicuous, 3-5, rarely more in number, smooth or spinulose. Spores globose, red, yellow.

The genus is related on the one hand to Arcyria by the mode of attachment of the threads, on the other hand to Trichia, by the parallel spiral ridges which wind around them. By the mode of branching of the threads, the species fall readily into two sections.

--1. ARCYRIOIDES. Capillitium of slender threads, branching and anastomosing, thus forming a more or less evident network.

In some of the species the large irregular meshes of the network are scarcely to be discerned, but are rather to be inferred from the abundant branching of the threads and the paucity of the free extremities.

1. HEMIARCYRIA PLUMOSA, Morgan, n. sp. Sporangium obovoid to turbinate, olive-yellow to olive-brown in color, stipitate; the wall densely granulose within, externally smooth and shining, the upper part soon disappearing, leaving a funnel-shaped persistent base. Stipe long, erect, reddish-brown, arising from a thin hypothallus. Capillitium of threads 5-7 mic. in thickness, repeatedly branched and anastomosing, to form a dense network without any free extremities, olive-yellow to olive-brown in color; the spiral ridges five or six, close, smooth.

Spores in ma.s.s, lemon-yellow, globose, very minutely warted, 8-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate I, Fig. 19.

Growing gregariously on old damp logs; very common in this region.

Sporangium with the stipe 2-3 mm. in height, the stipe usually much longer than the sporangium; the capillitium expands considerably after the disappearance of the upper part of the sporangium. This species is an Arcyria in every respect, except the spiral ridges, which wind about the thread of the capillitium.

2. HEMIARCYRIA VARNEYI, Rex. Sporangium elongated ovoid, pale yellow, stipitate; the upper part of the wall disappearing at maturity, leaving a small cup-shaped persistent base. Stipe very short, dull brown.

Capillitium of very slender threads 3.2-3.5 mic. in thickness, dull ochre in color, forming a network of small meshes, with numerous short slightly clavate free extremities, which proceed from the peripheral meshes; the spiral ridges seven or eight, winding unevenly, those of the superficial threads minutely spinulose. Spores in ma.s.s pale yellow, globose, even, 6-7 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood; Kansas, May Varney. Sporangium with the stipe about 1 mm. in height, the stipe very short. Dr. Rex, in Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1891.

3. HEMIARCYRIA ABLATA, Morgan n. sp. Sporangium obovoid to turbinate, yellow or olive-yellow, stipitate; the wall rather firm, smooth and shining, breaking away about the apex, leaving the greater portion persistent. Stipe short, erect, yellow-brown to blackish in color, arising from a thin hypothallus. Capillitium of threads, 5-7 mic. in thickness, yellowish-ochre in color, more or less branched; the free extremities very scarce, obtuse or slightly swollen; the spiral ridges four or five, close, smooth or very minutely warted. Spores in ma.s.s, yellow, globose, minutely warted, 8-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood of Elm, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 1.5-2.5 mm.

in height, the stipe variable in length, but not longer than the sporangium, diameter of the sporangium .6-.8 mm. A half dozen threads proceed from the inner wall of the stipe branch twenty-five or thirty times, and afford scarcely half a dozen free ends.

4. HEMIARCYRIA STIPATA, Schw. Sporangia terete, elongated and flexuous, closely packed together and lying upon one another, stipitate, from bright incarnate to brick red or bay in color, smooth and shining; the wall thin and fragile, soon disappearing, except a small cup-shaped portion at the base. The stipes very short, often entirely concealed by the dense ma.s.s of sporangia, arising from a common hypothallus.

Capillitium of threads somewhat variable in thickness, 3-6 mic., repeatedly branched and forming a network of very unequal meshes, with occasional clavate free extremities, pale to dark red in color; the spiral ridges three or four, often irregular, thickened or interrupted by minute warts and spinules. Spores in ma.s.s incarnate to brownish-red, globose, even, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood of Liriodendron. Sporangia usually in small patches, each 1-2 mic. in length, the stipe very thin and short.

--2. HEMITRICHIA. Capillitium of very long slender threads, simple or remotely branched, and not forming a network, their further extremities all free.

The threads of the capillitium in these species are usually much coiled and entangled, but when straightened out they are seen to be very long, but few in number, fixed at one end and free at the other.

5. HEMIARCYRIA LONGIFILA, Rex. Sporangium obovoid or pyriform, yellow, stipitate; the wall a thin pellucid membrane, smooth and shining, beautifully iridescent, breaking away above the middle, the lower cup-shaped portion persistent. Stipe very short, reddish-brown to blackish, arising from a common hypothallus. Capillitium of slender threads, 3.5-4 mic. in thickness, golden yellow in color, simple or very rarely branched; the free extremities obtuse or slightly swollen, sometimes minutely apiculate; the spiral ridges, three or four, rather distant, with very minute scattered spinules or nearly smooth. Spores in ma.s.s, golden-yellow, globose, minutely warted, 9-10 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood of Oak, etc. Sporangium with the stipe .8-1.5 mm. in height, the stipe very short, not exceeding the diameter of the sporangium. A small species, distinguished by its golden-yellow spores and capillitium.

6. HEMIARCYRIA FUNALIS, Morgan n. sp. Sporangium obovoid to turbinate, yellow or olive yellow, polished stipitate; the wall firm, thickened on the inner surface by an olivaceous layer, breaking away from above downward, leaving an irregular cup-shaped base. Stipe short, reddish-brown to blackish, arising from a thin hypothallus. Capillitium of threads 6-8 mic. in thickness, yellowish-ochre or dull ochre in color, simple or remotely branched; the free extremities obtuse or swollen; the spiral ridges four or five, minutely warted. Spores in ma.s.s yellow, globose, minutely warted, 8-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate I, Fig. 20.

Growing on old wood. Sporangium 1.5-2.5 mm. in height, the stipe variable, but usually much shorter than the sporangium. Scarcely to be distinguished from _Hemiarcyria ablata_, except by the threads of the capillitium.

7. HEMIARCYRIA RUBIFORMIS, Pers. Sporangium obovoid or turbinate to cylindric, usually few to many fasciculate upon the united stipes, sometimes sessile, brown-red to brown or blackish in color, smooth and often shining with a metallic l.u.s.ter; the wall much thickened by a dense brownish-red layer of minute granules, at maturity the apex torn away, leaving much the greater part persistent. Capillitium of slender threads, 4-6 mic. in thickness, brownish-red in color, very rarely branched; the free extremities usually terminated by a stout spine; the spiral ridges three or four, furnished with numerous spinules. Spores in ma.s.s, brownish-red, globose, minutely warted, 9-11 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood; one of the commonest of the Myxomycetes. The fascicle 3-4 mm. in height, the individual sporangia .5-.6 mm. in diameter.

8. HEMIARCYRIA SERPULA, Scop. Plasmodiocarp terete, flexuous, usually branching and anastomosing to form an extensive network, from tawny to golden-yellow in color; the wall thin above and yellow, breaking open irregularly and falling away down to the brownish thicker adherent base. Capillitium consisting of a few long slender threads with numerous scattered short branches, the threads 4-6 mic. in thickness, golden-yellow; the free ends of the branches terminating in a slender spine; the spiral ridges three or four, covered with numerous slender spinules. Spores in the ma.s.s golden-yellow, globose, the surface reticulate, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on and inside of rotten wood. Plasmodiocarp an irregular patch, one to several centimeters in extent, the strands of the net about .5 mm. in thickness. A single reticulate plasmodium is usually converted without change of form into an individual plasmodiocarp.

II. CALONEMA, Morgan, gen. nov. Sporangia subglobose, irregular, sessile, without a hypothallus; the wall thin, marked with branching veins, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of slender tubules, arising from the base of the sporangium, repeatedly branched and with numerous free extremities; the surface traversed by a system of branching veins, ending in minute veinlets, which appear as irregular rings and spirals.

Spores subglobose, yellow.

The habit of the single species is that of an Oligonema, and it has spores similar to those of most species of this genus, but the threads are long and branched, and they are fastened below to the base of the sporangium.

1. CALONEMA AUREUM, Morgan n. sp. Sporangia subglobose to turbinate, sessile, closely crowded and from mutual pressure quite irregular; the wall thin, marked with branching veins, golden-yellow in color, smooth and shining. Capillitium of threads more or less branched, 5-6 mic. in thickness, golden-yellow; the surface minutely venulose, and with larger rings and spirals, and sometimes with scattered spinules; the free extremities obtuse. Spores subglobose, yellow, the surface with elevated ridges combined into a network, 14-16 mic. in diameter. See Plate I, Fig. 21.

Growing on and within rotten wood. Sporangia quite irregular and variable in size, .3-.6 mm. in diameter. The beautiful venation of the wall of the sporangium is continued upon the surface of the threads of the capillitium.

III. TRICHIA, Haller. Sporangia regular and stipitate or sessile and somewhat irregular; the wall, at maturity, irregularly ruptured. The stipe more or less elongated or often wanting, usually resting on a hypothallus. Capillitium consisting of numerous short slender tubules, called _elaters_, intermingled with the spores and wholly free; elaters simple or rarely branched a time or two, each extremity terminating in a smooth tapering point; the spiral ridges parallel and conspicuous, 2-5 in number, smooth or spinulose. Spores globose, yellow, ochraceous, olivaceous.

The genus Trichia is unique among the Myxomycetes in having its capillitium composed of tubules, which are entirely free from the wall of the sporangium. The length of these free tubes varies usually between .3 mm. and .5 mm., being sometimes shorter, but seldom longer; they are typically cylindric, or equally thickened from end to end, or quite rarely they are thickened in the middle, and taper gradually to each extremity; the extremities terminate in a smooth tapering point, straight or sometimes a little curved or flexuous, which maintains an average length in each species. The spiral ridges wind around the thread almost invariably to the left, or with the hands of a watch; they are always more or less prominent and conspicuous, and usually maintain a regular curve and uniform interval between each other in the same species; their surface is either smooth, or sometimes it is invested with minute warts or spinules.

In all the species of this genus, however, irregular and abnormal elaters are occasionally met with among the typical ones. As these abnormal forms always arrest attention, and have been conceived to possess specific value, it may be well to note the princ.i.p.al of them.

1. The elater is sometimes branched. In two or three species the branching appears to be quite regular and not abnormal; still, even in these species, most of the elaters in the sporangia are not branched. In some cases the branching arises from confluence of two or more elaters.

2. Ellipsoidal swellings, or enlargements of the elater, sometimes occur, at one or both extremities, or at points intermediate between them; these always occur irregularly, and are essentially abnormal.

3. The smooth tapering point is rarely wanting, in which case the extremity presents a blunt end, the spiral ridges running to the end.

More frequently the tapering points are multiplied, the elaters bearing two or three spines at the extremities; this often occurs in the species of Trichia, and also of Hemiarcyria with spinulose elaters.

4. The spiral ridges are sometimes defective, there being less than the typical number; sometimes they are merely displaced, there being a much wider interval between them than usual; rarely do they habitually wind about the thread in an irregular manner.

5. Under high magnifying power, fine ridges are sometimes seen running lengthwise of the elaters, bridging the intervals between the spirals.

These were first observed by DeBary, in _Trichia chrysosperma_, but they have since been seen in the elaters of nearly every other species of Trichia, and also in species of Hemiarcyria.

The few species with elaters, so far as yet known, habitually irregular, defective and abnormal, are referred to the genus Oligonema.

The normal species of Trichia arrange themselves quite naturally into three sections.