134 



ENDOSPORE.E. 



[AMAUROCH^ETE. 



Order II. AMAUROCHLETACE^E. Sporangia combined into an 

 rethalium. Capillitium dark purple-brown, of irregular strands 

 and threads, or of complex structure. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF AMAUROCH^TACE^. 



Capillitium of irregularly branching threads. 



(20) A MAUROCHyETE. 



Fig. 28. Amaurochcete atra Eost. 



a. ^Ethalium. Half natural size. 



b. Capillitium. Magnified 10 times. 



Fig. 28. 



Capillitium of horizontal threads, with many- chambered vesicles. 



(21) BREFELDIA. 



a 



Fig. 29. Brefeldia maxima Rost. 



a. jEthalium. Natural size. 



b. Capillitium and spores. Magnified 50 times. 



Fig. 29. 



Genus 20. AMATJROCHJETE Eostafinski, Versuch, p. 8 

 (1873). .ZEthalia pulvinate, composed of elongated closely com- 

 pacted confluent sporangia ; sporangium -walls not developed. 

 Capillitium rising from the broad membranous base, consisting 

 of dark purple-brown irregularly flattened ragged strands, 

 dividing into many anastomosing branches, which vary much in 

 length and thickness. 



o 



1. A. atra Rost, Versuch, p. 8 (1873). Plasmodium creamy- 

 white, emerging from recently felled fir- wood. ^Ethalium pulvinate 

 or variously shaped, 2 mm. to 4 cm. or more broad, black, covered 

 with a silvery evanescent membrane ; individual sporangium- 

 walls undeveloped. Columella none. Capillitium as described in 

 the genus, often very scanty. Spores dull purple, spinulose, 11 

 to 13 ^ diarn. Mon., p. 211 ; Cooke, Myx. Brit., p. 52; Blytt, 

 Bidr. K. Norg., Sop. iii. (1892), p. 9; Mass., Mon., p. 89. 

 Lycogala atrum Alb. & Schw., Consp. Fung., p. 83 (1805). 

 Reticularia atra Fr., Syst. Myc., iii., p. 86. 



Plate LI., A. a. Capillitium, x 20 ; b. spore, x GOO (England). 



Hal. On fir- wood . Halse House, Somerset (B. M. 17) ; Scotland 

 (Edin. Herb.) ; Lyme Regis, Dorset (L:B.M.101) ; Poland (Strassb. 

 Herb.) ; Maine, U.S.A. (K. 800). 



