COMATRICHA 127 



species before us the inner network is well developed, and 

 the radiating branches proportionately shorter and abundantly 

 branching, with pale or white free tips. 



Generally, though not always, found growing in the crevices 

 of the bark on fallen logs of various deciduous trees. Septem- 

 ber. Not common. 



This is thought to be C. crypta Schw., N. A. F., 2351 ; but 

 the description under that number does not make clear what 

 form Schweinitz had before him, the present species or C. longa, 

 and the herbarium specimen of Schweinitz is "utterly lost"; 

 the later specific name is accordingly adopted. 



New England west to the Rocky Mountains ; south to Kansas 

 and Texas. 



/ 



4. COMATRICHA LAXA Rostafinski. 



PLATE V., Figs. 5, 5 a. 



1875. Comatricha laxa Rost., Man., p. 201. 



1876. Badhamia penetralis Cooke and Ell., Grev., V., p. 49. 



1877. Lamproderma ellisiana Cooke, Myx. U. S., p. 397. 



1891. Comatricha ellisiana (Cooke) Ell. and Ev., N. A. F., 2696. 

 1894. Comatricha ellisii Morgan, Jour. Cin. Soc., p. 49. 



Sporangia scattered, gregarious, sub-globose or short cylin- 

 dric, and obtuse, dusky stipitate ; stipe short, black, tapering 

 rapidly upward from an expanded base ; hypothallus scant or 

 none ; columella erect, rigid, sometimes reaching nearly to the 

 apex of the sporangium, sometimes dichotomously branched a 

 little below the summit, before blending into the common capil- 

 litium ; capillitium lax, of slender, horizontal branches, anasto- 

 mosing at infrequent intervals and ending in short, free tips; 

 spores pallid, nearly smooth, 7-9.5 p. 



A very minute, delicate little species, about i mm. high; the 

 stipe half the total height. In general appearance the shorter 

 forms of the species resemble slightly C. nigra, but are distin- 

 guished by a much shorter stipe and much more open capilli- 

 tium. The sporangia of C. nigra mounted on long capillary 

 stipes always droop more or less ; the sporangia of the present 



