Growing on old wood, moss, etc., New York, _Chas. H. Peck_.

Distinguished by the pale silvery sporangial wall and the clear brown spores.

2. LAMPRODERMA ARCYRIONEMA, Rost. Sporangium small, globose; the wall dark bronze, with a silvery sheen when loosened from the spores, soon breaking into scales and falling away. Stipe long and slender, smooth, shining and black, rising from a thin hypothallus; the columella short cylindric, variable in length, but not attaining the center of the sporangium. Capillitium arising by division of the apex of the columella into several primary branches; these immediately separate into numerous slender flexuous brown threads, which unite and form a dense network of small arcuate meshes, the ultimate branchlets not free. Spores globose, even, violaceous, 6-7 mic. in diameter. See plate XI, Fig. 26.

Growing on old wood of Juglans and Carya. Sporangium .3-.5 mm. in diameter, the stipe three or four times as long. The columella is somewhat variable, it sometimes forks or divides immediately on entering the sporangium, at other times it is longer and cylindric, with more slender primary branches. The meshes of the capillitium resemble those of Arcyria, whence the name. This is the _Stemonitis physaroides_, A. & S. var. _suboeneus_ of Lea's Catalogue.

3. LAMPRODERMA VIOLACEUM, Fr. Sporangium depressed-globose, convex above and more or less flattened and umbilicate beneath; the wall shining with steel or violet, blue and purple tints, deciduous. Stipe short, stout, brown or blackish in color, arising from a thin, brown, common hypothallus; columella cylindric, or tapering slightly to an obtuse apex, attaining the center of the sporangium. Capillitium of numerous slender threads, radiating from the upper part of the columella; these threads are brown below, with a variable outer portion colorless; they branch a few times and form an interior network of elongated meshes, outwardly arching and freely anastomosing they give rise to an external network of small irregular meshes, they then attain the wall by innumerable short, simple, or forked free branchlets. Spores globose, minutely spinulose, violaceous, 9-11 mic. in diameter. See plate XI, Fig 27.

Growing on old wood, mosses, etc., late in Autumn. Sporangium .5-.8 mm.

in diameter, the stipe about the same length. The capillitium is sometimes most of it colorless and flaccid; sometimes it is all brown and rigid except the minute free extremities.

4. LAMPRODERMA ARCYRIOIDES, Somm. Sporangium globose or ellipsoid, and somewhat elongated; the wall with tints of violet, purple, and blue, deciduous. Stipe usually short, or sometimes nearly obsolete, brown or blackish in color, arising from a strongly-developed hypothallus; the columella cylindric or slightly tapering upward, and obtuse, reaching nearly to the center of the sporangium. Capillitium of numerous pale-brown threads, radiating from the apex of the columella; these fork directly from the base, are bent and flexuous, and are combined into a dense, intricate net, with abundant free extremities. Spores globose, spinulose, violaceous, 13-16 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old leaves, wood, etc. Sporangium .5-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe variable in length from very short to 1 mm. long or beyond.

_Lamproderma columbinum_, Pers. is a doubtful species, the forms of that name being easily distributed between the present species and _L.

physaroides_.

5. LAMPRODERMA SCINTILLANS, B. & Br. Sporangium globose; the wall shining with colors of blue, purple, and bronze, deciduous. Stipe long, slender, smooth, and shining, brown or blackish, rising from a thin, brown, common hypothallus; columella cylindric or slightly tapering to the obtuse apex, not reaching the center of the sporangium. Capillitium of numerous brown threads, originating about the apex of the columella; these fork several times, with few anastomosing branchlets, and terminate at the wall in long, free extremities. Spores globose, minutely warted, violaceous, 7-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig.

28.

Growing on old leaves, moss, etc., in early Spring. Sporangium .3-.5 mm.

in diameter, the stipe from once to twice as long. This is _Lamproderma irideum_ of Ma.s.see's Monograph. I am indebted to Arthur Lister, Esq., of London, for the identification of my specimens with _Stemonitis scintillans_, B. & Br., and with _Lamproderma irideum_, Cke.

III. COMATRICHA, Preuss. Sporangia various in shape, from globose or ovoid to oblong and cylindric, stipitate; the wall very thin and fugacious. Stipe more or less elongated, smooth and black, arising from a common hypothallus, tapering upward, entering the sporangium and prolonged nearly or quite to the apex as a columella. Capillitium arising from numerous points of the columella throughout its entire length; the threads immediately branching and anastomosing to form an interior network, attaining the wall by numerous more or less elongated free extremities. Spores globose, brown or violaceous.

This genus is not sharply limited from Stemonitis. The species with very short free ends, and consequently with superficial meshes approximate to the wall, are near the form of Stemonitis. But it may be observed that in these species, the meshes of the capillitium become smaller gradually outward, the sides of the superficial meshes are arched away from the wall, and they are in contact with it only by the free extremities.

--1. TYPHOIDES. Threads of the capillitium repeatedly branching and anastomosing, to form a dense network of small meshes, with innumerable short, free extremities.

1. COMATRICHA TYPHINA, Roth. Sporangia short, erect or a little curved, cylindric or usually narrowing slightly upward, the base quite blunt, the apex more rounded, growing together on a thin hypothallus. Stipe and columella brown or blackish, tapering upward and vanishing near the apex of the sporangium, the stipe much shorter than the columella.

Capillitium of slender flexuous tawny-brown threads; these branch repeatedly, forming an intricate network of small irregular meshes, ending in very short free extremities. Spores globose, violaceous, very minutely warted, 6-8 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, mosses, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 2-4 mm. in height, the stipe much the shorter, the sporangium .35-.40 mm. in thickness. _Stemonitis typhoides_, Fries, S. M.

2. COMATRICHA aeQUALIS, Pk. Sporangia usually more or less inclined or curved and nodding, cylindric, obtuse at each end, growing together on a thin hypothallus. Stipe and columella slender, smooth, black, extending nearly or quite to the apex of the sporangium, the stipe longer than the columella. Capillitium of very slender flexuous tawny-brown threads; these branch repeatedly, forming an intricate network of small irregular meshes, ending in very short free extremities. Spores globose, minutely warted, dark violaceous, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood. Sporangium 1.5-3 mm. in height by .35-.40 mm. in thickness, the stipe usually about the same length as the sporangium, but sometimes nearly twice as long. The capillitium is rather looser than in _C. typhina_, whence the drooping habit. Peck, Thirty-first Report, p. 42.

3. COMATRICHA NIGRA, Pers. Sporangia globose or ovoid to ellipsoid or oblong, erect or sometimes inclined or even nodding. The stipe very long, smooth and black, tapering upward, expanding at the base into a small circular hypothallus; the columella short, reaching from one-half to three-fourths the height of the sporangium. Capillitium of slender flexuous brown threads, which branch repeatedly, forming a dense intricate network of small meshes, ending in very short free extremities. Spores globose, even, dark violaceous, 8-10 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, leaves, etc. Sporangium .5-1.5 mm. in height, .5-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe 1.5-3 mm. long or sometimes considerably longer. This species seems to be rare in this country. I have preferred the name adopted by Schroeter to Rostafinski's _Comatricha Friesiana_.

4. COMATRICHA ELLISII, Morgan, n. sp. Sporangia short, erect, oval or ovoid to oblong. Stipe and columella erect, brown and smooth, rising from a thin pallid hypothallus, tapering upward and vanishing into the capillitium toward the apex of the sporangium, the stipe usually longer than the columella. Capillitium of slender pale brown threads; these branch several times with lateral anastomosing branchlets, forming a rather open network of small meshes, ending with very short free extremities. Spores globose, even, pale ochraceous, 6-7 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 29.

Growing on old pine wood. Sporangium .3-.6 mm. in height by .3-.5 mm. in width, the stipe usually a little longer than the sporangium. This elegant little species I have from Mr. J. B. Ellis, of Newfield, N. J.

It is said to be mingled in some of the specimens with _Lamproderma Ellisiana_, Cke.

--2. LARVELLA. Threads of the capillitium branching a few times and anastomosing to form a network of large meshes, attaining the wall by numerous long, free extremities.

5. COMATRICHA CRYPTA, Schw. Sporangia cylindric, bent or flexuous and more or less inclined, growing close together on a conspicuous purplish-brown hypothallus. Stipe and columella smooth and black, tapering upward and reaching the apex of the sporangium, the columella bent and flexuous or spirally twisted, about as long as the stipe.

Capillitium composed of irregular, bent and uneven threads, which are brown below, becoming colorless outwardly; the threads branch a few times, forming a network of large irregular meshes, sometimes much defective; the free extremities irregular and unequal, simple or branched. Spores globose, brown, minutely warted, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

See Plate XI, Fig. 30.

Growing out of fissures of the bark and wood of Hickory, Acer, etc.

Sporangium with the stipe 4-7 mm. in height, the stipe a little shorter, or sometimes much longer than the sporangium, the latter .25-.30 mm. in thickness. The exterior colorless portion of the capillitium is exceedingly delicate, easily breaking away and leaving the capillitium quite irregular and defective. _Stemonitis crypta_, Schweinitz's N. A.

Fungi, 2351. _Comatricha irregularis_, Rex, is the same thing.

6. COMATRICHA CaeSPITOSA, Sturgis. Sporangia short, clavate, densely crowded or caespitose upon a delicate hypothallus; the wall subpersistent, silvery, shining with tints of purple and blue. Stipe very short or nearly obsolete, the columella rising to two-thirds or three-fourths the height of the sporangium. Capillitium of slender dark-brown threads, which branch and anastomose quite irregularly, forming a network of intermingled large and small meshes, ending in long, tapering, free extremities. Spores globose, minutely spinulose, dark violaceous, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on moss and lichens, at Wood's Holl, Ma.s.sachusetts. Sporangium 1-1.5 mm. in height, the stipe very short or sometimes apparently wanting. I am indebted to Dr. W. C. Sturgis, of New Haven, Conn., for a specimen of this unique species.

7. COMATRICHA LONGA, Peck. Sporangia very slender and much elongated, tapering gradually upward, weak and prostrate or pendulous, growing close together on a well-developed purplish-black hypothallus. Stipe and columella capillary, smooth and black, reaching to the apex of the sporangium or often vanishing in the network far below it, the stipe very short, the columella long and flexible. Capillitium of long, slender, dark-brown threads; these are reticulately connected near the base, forming a network of large irregular meshes in a series along the columella; outwardly they are terminated by very long free branchlets, which vary from simple to two or three times forked or branched. Spores globose, minutely warted, dark brown, 8-10 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 31.

Growing on old wood and bark of Elm, Willow, etc., in Autumn. Sporangium with the stipe 15-40 mm. in length, the stipe 3-8 mm. long, the sporangium .25-.40 mm. in thickness. This is the most characteristic species of the genus, being farthest removed from Stemonitis.

8. COMATRICHA FLACCIDA, Lister. Sporangia growing closely crowded together and more or less confluent, on a purplish-brown hypothallus, the walls fugacious. Columellas rising simply from the common hypothallus, or sometimes grown together below and then apparently branching, running through to the apex, and there often confluent with each other, or joined together by portions of membrane. Capillitium of slender brown threads, which branch and anastomose very irregularly, forming a ragged network with large irregular meshes, and long free extremities; the capillitium of adjoining columellas being much entangled, and often confluent or grown together. Spores globose, very minutely warted, brown, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood and bark of Oak, Willow, etc. The component sporangia 5-10 mm. in length. The early appearance is much like that of species of Stemonitis, but the mature stage is a great ma.s.s of spores with scanty capillitium, as in Reticularia; the columellas, however, are genuine and not adjacent portions of wall grown together. Arthur Lister calls this _Stemonitis splendens_, var. _flaccida_.

IV. STEMONITIS, Gled. Sporangia subcylindric, elongated, stipitate, standing close together on a well-developed common hypothallus, the wall very thin and evanescent. Stipe brown or black, smooth and shining, tapering upward, entering the sporangium and prolonged nearly to the apex as a slender columella, the stipe shorter than the columella.

Capillitium arising from numerous points of the columella throughout its entire length; the threads immediately branch and anastomose to form an interior network of large meshes, they then spread out next the wall of the sporangium into a superficial network of smaller meshes. Spores globose, brown or violaceous.

In this genus there are two distinctly differentiated series in the capillitium, the one an interior supporting network of large meshes, the other a superficial network of smaller meshes; sometimes the superficial network disappears or is wanting toward the upper part of the capillitium, there is then an approach to Comatricha. Very minute scattered branchlets usually connect the superficial network with the wall of the sporangium.

--1. DICTYNNA. Threads of the capillitium arising from numerous points of the columella, immediately branching several times and anastomosing to form the interior network of large meshes; the superficial network consisting of small irregular and unequal meshes, varying from smaller than the spores to two or three times their diameter.

1. STEMONITIS FUSCA, Roth. Sporangia elongated, subcylindric, tapering and obtuse at the apex, tapering gradually downward, growing closely crowded together on a strongly-developed brown hypothallus. Stipe and columella smooth and black, tapering gradually upward and disappearing near the apex of the sporangium, the stipe shorter than the columella.

Capillitium of slender brown or blackish threads, which immediately branch and anastomose, forming a dense interior network of large irregular meshes, the ultimate branchlets of which support a superficial network of small polygonal meshes. Spores globose, dark violaceous, the surface minutely warted, the warts with a reticulate arrangement, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, bark, leaves, etc.; common everywhere. Sporangium with the stipe 6-15 mm. in height, the sporangium .3-.4 mm. in thickness, the stipe variable in length, but always shorter than the sporangium. The meshes of the superficial net vary in size in the same sporangium, being usually 5-25 mic. in width, but sometimes they are larger, ranging from 10-40 mic. in extent. The name _Stemonitis maxima_ was given by Schweinitz to some unusually large specimens which grew on a Polyporus. _Stemonitis dictyospora_ of Rostafinski's monograph, with spores 12 mic. in diameter, is said to occur in South Carolina; I have seen no specimens.

2. STEMONITIS TENERRIMA, B. & C. Sporangia small, subcylindric, tapering and obtuse at the apex, tapering gradually downward, growing close together on a thin brown hypothallus. Stipe and columella black and smooth, tapering gradually upward and vanishing toward the apex of the sporangium, the stipe shorter than the columella. Capillitium of very slender pale violet threads, which branch and anastomose to form a dense interior network of large irregular meshes, and then spread out into a superficial network of small polygonal meshes. Spores globose, even, pale brownish-violet, 6-8 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 32.

Growing on old wood, mosses, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 5-9 mm. in height, the sporangium .2-.3 mm. in thickness, the stipe variable in length, but always shorter than the sporangium. The meshes of the superficial network varying usually from 3-15 mic. in width, but sometimes larger from 8-25 mic. The species grows scantily in this region, but I have elegant specimens from Alabama, sent me by Prof. Geo.

F. Atkinson.

3. STEMONITIS MICROSPORA, Lister. Plasmodium white. Sporangia elongated, subcylindric, tapering and obtuse at the apex, tapering gradually downward, growing closely crowded together on a strongly-developed brown hypothallus. Stipe and columella brown and smooth, tapering gradually upward and reaching nearly to the apex of the sporangium, the stipe shorter than the columella. Capillitium of slender tawny-brown threads; the primary branches simple or only branched above, or with a few lateral anastomosing branchlets, forming a rather loose network of large irregular meshes; these support a superficial network of very small polygonal meshes. Spores globose, even, tawny-brown, 5-6 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, bark, leaves, etc.; very common in this region.

Sporangium with the stipe 7-15 mm. in height, the sporangium .3-.4 mm.

in thickness, the stipe shorter than the sporangium. Meshes of the superficial network 4-20 mic. in width. I am indebted to Arthur Lister, Esq., of London, for pointing out to me the difference between this species and the _Stemonitis ferruginea_ of Fries and Rostafinski.

4. STEMONITIS FERRUGINEA, Ehr. Plasmodium lemon-yellow. Sporangia subcylindric, the apex obtuse, growing closely crowded together on a thin, brown hypothallus. Stipe and columella brown and smooth, tapering gradually upward and vanishing beneath the apex of the sporangium, the stipe much shorter than the columella. Capillitium of slender, tawny-brown threads, which immediately branch and anastomose, forming a dense interior network of large irregular meshes, supporting a superficial network of small polygonal meshes. Spores globose, very minutely warted, tawny-brown in color, 7-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood, leaves, gra.s.ses, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 4-10 mm. in height, the sporangium .3-.4 mm. in thickness, the stipe much shorter than the sporangium. The meshes of the superficial network varying from 6-30 mic. or sometimes from 10-40 mic. in width, according to the specimen. The species is certainly rare in this country, and my description is drawn up from British specimens. But I am unable to distinguish authentic specimens of _Stemonitis herbatica_, Peck, from these British specimens.

--2. MEGALODICTYS. Threads of the capillitium arising from rather distant points of the columella, branching and anastomosing but a few times, thus forming an interior network of very large meshes; the superficial network consisting of large irregular meshes, varying from three or four to many times the diameter of the spores.