BREFELDIA 1 1 1 



widespread, silver-shining hypothallus ; sporangia in favorable 

 cases distinct, indicated above by the papillae ; columellse obscure, 

 black ; capillitium abundant, the threads uniting by multifid 

 ends to surround as with a net the peculiar vesicles ; spore-mass 

 dark violet black, the individual spores paler by transmitted 

 light, distinctly papillose, 12-15 A 1 - 



A very remarkable species and one of the largest, rivalled 

 by Fnligo only. To be compared with Reticularia, which it 

 resembles somewhat externally, and with some of the larger 

 specimens of Enteridium. The plasmodium at first white with 

 a bluish tinge is developed abundantly in rotten wood, prefer- 

 ably a large oak stump, and changes color as maturity comes 

 on, much in the fashion of Stemonitis splendens, leaving a 

 widespread hypothallic film to extend far around the perfected 

 fruit-mass. In well-matured aethalia, "Jove favente" the spo- 

 rangia stand out perfectly distinct, particularly above and 

 around the margins. Closely and compactly crowded, they be- 

 come prismatic by mutual pressure, and attain sometimes the 

 height of half an inch or more. In the centre of the fructi- 

 fication, next the hypothallus, the sporangia are very imper- 

 fectly differentiated. Many are here horizontally placed, and 

 perhaps supplied with an imperfectly formed peridium, if so 

 are to be interpreted the lowest parts of the capillitial struc- 

 ture, the long, branching, ribbon-like strands which lie along 

 the hypothallus. Some of these branch repeatedly with flat 

 anastomosing branchlets, ultimately fray out into lengthened 

 threads, and perish after all the superstructure has been blown 

 away. From every part of the structure so described, but 

 more especially from the margins, are given off in profusion 

 the strange cystiferous threads, so characteristic of this genus. 

 These are exceeding delicate filaments, attached at one end, 

 it may be, to a principal branch, at the other free or united to a 

 second which again joins a third, and so looping and branching, 

 dividing, they form a more or less extended network, a 

 capillitium in which are entangled the myriad spores. Each 

 filament bears at its middle point (or is it the meeting-point 



