ARCYRIA 



197 



10. ARCYRTA DIGITATA (Sckiv.} Rost. 



1831. Stemonitis digitata Schw., N. A. F., p. 260, No. 2350. 

 1868. Arcyria bicolor B. and C.,Jour. Linn. Soc., X., p. 349. 

 1875. Arcyria digitata (Schw.) Rost., Mon., p. 274. 



Sporangia compound, that is, gather in tufts a number 3-12 

 or more on a single stipe, the clusters themselves scattered ; 

 individual sporangia elongate cylindric, about 3-4 mm. long, 

 ashen gray or nearly white, stipitate ; stipe as long or longer 

 than the sporangium, stout, sometimes showing traces of con- 

 solidation of several, sometimes none, dark brown or black ; 

 capillitium looser and more expanded than in the last, the 

 threads more strongly spinulose ; spore-mass concolorous, 

 spores under the lens colorless, smooth, globose, 7.5-8 p. 



Closely related to the preceding, but different in habit and 

 on the whole larger and more robust throughout. The stipes 

 in some cases are completely merged in one ; in others traces 

 of coalescence remain. The number of united sporangia varies. 

 There are some clusters before us containing 16 and 18 in a 

 single fascicle ! 



Not very common. On rotten wood of deciduous trees, 

 especially south. 



New England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa ; Black Hills, South 

 Dakota, and south. 



Arcyria bicolo'. B. and C. seems to refer to the fact that the 

 sporangia have sometimes an ochraceous tint. Berkeley's speci- 

 mens are from Cuba. Our largest specimens are from Nica- 

 ragua ; the form seems not to be reported from the old world. 



11. ARCYRIA POMIFORMIS (Leers) Rost. 



1775. Rlucor poinifonnis Leers, Flor. Herb., p. 218. 

 1875. Arcyria pomiformis Rost., Mon., p. 271. 



Sporangia scattered, gregarious, globose, bright yellow, very 

 minute, |- mm. high, -| mm. in diameter, stipitate ; stipe very 

 short, \ the total height, pale brown or yellow ; hypothallus 

 none ; capillitium loose, freely expanding, not deciduous, honey 

 yellow, the threads generally wide, 4-5 /*, toward the periphery 



