Part 13

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 CÆSPITOSA, Sturgis. Sporangia short, clavate, densely crowded or cæspitose 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, Massachusetts. 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 mass 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, grasses, 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.

5. STEMONITIS WEBBERI, Rex. Sporangia subcylindric, the apex obtuse, tapering gradually downward, growing close together on a common hypothallus. Stipe and columella black and smooth, the stipe very short, the columella extending nearly or quite to the apex of the sporangium, the upper part usually flexuous. Capillitium composed of slender, flexuous brown threads; these immediately branch and anastomose several times, forming an interior network of very large meshes; the superficial network consisting of large irregular meshes, sometimes much elongated. Spores globose, very minutely warted, brown, 7-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 34.

Growing on old wood, bark, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 5-10 mm. in height, the stipe 1-2 mm. in length, the sporangium .3-.4 mm. in thickness; meshes of the superficial net of the capillitium 40-100-150 mic. in extent. This is a much smaller species than Stemonitis splendens, and the structure of the interior network of the capillitium is entirely different.

6. STEMONITIS SPLENDENS, Rost. Sporangia linear-cylindric, obtuse at the apex, growing close together on a conspicuous hypothallus. Stipe and columella black and shining, the stipe very short, the columella reaching nearly or quite to the apex of the sporangium, often flexuous above. Capillitium composed of brown threads, variable in thickness, often with membranaceous expansions; the primary branches some of them simple or only branched above, others with a few anastomosing branchlets, forming an interior network of extremely large meshes; the superficial network consisting of large, irregular, roundish or polygonal meshes. Spores globose, very minutely warted, brown, 7-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 33.

Growing on old wood. Sporangium with the stipe 15-25 mm. in height, the stipe 4-6 mm. in length, the sporangium about .4 mm. in thickness; the meshes of the superficial network of the capillitium 25-50-80 mic. or sometimes as much as 100 mic. in extent. This is Stemonitis Morgani, Peck.

V. ENERTHENEMA, Bowm. Sporangium regular, globose, stipitate; the wall thin and fragile, fugacious. Stipe stout, thick, tapering upward, entering the sporangium and prolonged to its apex, there expanding into a discoid membrane. Capillitium originating from the lower surface of the apical disk of the columella; the threads branched a few times and hanging downward, their extremities free. Spores globose, violaceous.

A well-marked genus, by reason of the peculiar origin of the capillitium.