Part 9

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.

§1. A NACTIUM. Sporangia varying from globose to pyriform or turbinate, supported on a more or less elongated stipe. Spores globose, the surface minutely warted.

a. Elaters with very long tapering extremities.

1. TRICHIA FRAGILIS, Sow. Sporangia obovoid to pyriform or clavate, often fasciculate, stipitate; the wall a thin membrane, with a thick dense outer layer of brown-red granules. Stipes long, erect or curved, simple or usually fasciculate and often connate, arising from a thin hypothallus. Mass of spores and capillitium from reddish-brown to yellow and ochraceous; elaters simple, rarely branched, 4-5 mic. thick, with very long tapering extremities, ending in smooth points 8-12 mic. long; spirals, three or four, perfectly smooth. Spores globose, minutely warted, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood. Sporangia with the stipe 2-4 mm. in height, the sporangium .6-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe usually longer than the sporangium. The color quite variable, mostly dull red-brown or blackish-brown, more rarely yellow or coffee-brown, usually opaque, rarely shining.

2. TRICHIA FALLAX, Pers. Sporangium obovoid to pyriform or turbinate, rarely clavate, stipitate; the wall thin, smooth and shining, colored as the spores and capillitium. Stipe more or less elongated, simple, erect, brownish below, filled with roundish vesicles. Mass of capillitium and spores yellowish, ochraceous or olivaceous; elaters simple or sometimes with several branches, 4-6 mic. thick in the middle, tapering gradually to each extremity, ending in smooth tapering points, 20-40 mic. in length; spirals, three, perfectly smooth. Spores globose, minutely warted, 10-12 mic. in diameter. See Plate I, Fig. 22.

Growing on old wood. Sporangium with the stipe 2-4 mm. in height, sporangium .6-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe usually longer than the sporangium. Under high magnifying power the spores are seen to be minutely reticulated.

b. Elaters cylindric, ending in a smooth tapering point.

3. TRICHIA SUBFUSCA, Rex. Sporangium globose, rarely globose-turbinate, stipitate; the wall thickish, dull tawny-brown above, shading to dark brown at the base. Stipe simple, erect, brown or blackish in color. Mass of capillitium and spores bright yellow; elaters simple, rarely branched, cylindric, 3.5-4 mic. in thickness, ending in smooth tapering points, 10-12 mic. in length; spirals, four in number, perfectly smooth. Spores globose, minutely warted, 11.5-12.5 mic. in diameter.

On old wood and bark, Adirondack Mountains, New York. Dr. George A. Rex. Sporangium .5-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe equal in height to the diameter of the sporangium.

4. TRICHIA ERECTA, Rex. Sporangium globose to globose-turbinate, stipitate; the wall of both sporangium and stipe with a rough outer layer of brown scales and granules, which, on the upper surface of the sporangium, soon breaks up into irregular patches. Stipes long, erect, usually simple, rarely fasciculate and connate. Mass of capillitium and spores, bright yellow; elaters simple, cylindric, 4 mic. in thickness, ending in smooth points, 4-6 mic. long; spirals four, often united by intervening branches, covered with numerous irregular spinules. Spores globose, minutely warted, 12-14 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old wood and bark, Adirondack Mountains, New York, Dr. Geo. A. Rex. Sporangium .5-.8 mm. in diameter, the stipe about 1 mm. in height. This Trichia is conspicuous by the checkering or areolation of the upper surface in the mature sporangia, affording a sharp contrast between the brown patches and the yellow bands.

§2. CHRYSOPHIDIA. Sporangia globose, obovoid or somewhat irregular, sessile, rarely with a short stipe, usually closely crowded. Spores globose, the surface minutely warted.

a. Elaters perfectly smooth.

5. TRICHIA VARIA, Pers. Sporangia globose, obovoid or somewhat irregular, gregarious and scattered or crowded, yellowish, ochraceous or olivaceous, sessile, or with a very short brown or blackish stipe. Mass of capillitium and spores yellow; elaters long, simple or sometimes branched a time or two, 4-5 mic. in thickness, ending in a smooth tapering point, 8-12 mic. long; spirals only two, smooth, very prominent in places, causing the elater to appear notched. Spores globose, oval or somewhat irregular, minutely warted, 10-14 mic. in diameter.

Growing in patches on old wood; a very common species. Sporangium .6-.8 mm. in diameter, or when irregular sometimes elongated to 1 mm. or more. Extremely variable as to the form of the sporangium, but readily recognized by its elaters.

6. TRICHIA ANDERSONI, Rex. Sporangia globose or obovoid, sessile, gregarious, closely crowded, or sometimes scattered, the wall thickened with minute scales, in color brownish-ochre or olivaceous. Mass of capillitium and spores yellow; elaters long, simple, 3-4 mic. in thickness, ending in a very long flexuous point, 14-18 mic. in length; spirals three or four, winding evenly and closely, perfectly smooth. Spores globose, minutely warted, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on the inside of bark of Acer. Sporangium .4-.5 mm. in diameter. The capillitium is deep orange and the spores olivaceous, but this difference in shade of color between spores and capillitium occurs in other species. Trichia advenula, Mass., is a closely related species, the swellings in the elaters having no specific value.

7. TRICHIA INCONSPICUA, Rost. Sporangia very small, subglobose, sessile, collected together in clusters, or scattered, without any hypothallus; the wall brown, smooth and shining. Mass of capillitium and spores yellow; elaters long, simple, cylindric, 3-4 mic. in thickness, ending in smooth tapering points, 6-7 mic. in length; spirals three or four, close, not prominent, perfectly smooth. Spores globose, minutely warted, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on bark of Platanus, etc. New York, Peck; Iowa, McBride. The sporangia spherical or reniform and very small.

b. Elaters spinulose.

8. TRICHIA IOWENSIS, McBride. Sporangia subglobose, sessile, gregarious, scattered, or sometimes close and confluent; the wall thickened with minute scales, reddish-brown in color. Mass of capillitium and spores yellow; elaters quite variable, usually very long, but sometimes very short, simple, rarely branched, the thickness unequal, 3-4 mic. in the same elater, with occasional thicker swellings, bearing numerous scattered spines, usually about as long as the thickness of the elater, but sometimes much longer, those at the ends being similar; spirals three or four, fine and close, in places nearly obsolete. Spores globose, or more or less irregular, minutely warted, 9-11 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old bark of Populus; Iowa, McBride. Sporangia .4-.5 mm. in diameter. This is a very curious species of Trichia; it suggests Ophiotheca Wrightii, but the elaters are short and simple, and there is no question as to the spirals upon them. I could find no branched elaters in my specimen.