OLIGONEMA 221 



2. OLIGONEMA BREVIFILA Peck. 



1878. Oligonema brevifila Peck, Rep. N. Y. Mus., p. 42. 



Sporangia small, cylindric, dull ochraceous yellow, sessile, 

 closely crowded, sometimes superimposed, forming large, effused 

 patches several centimetres in extent; capillitium exceedingly 

 scant, consisting of nothing more than a few minute threads, 

 very short, only three or four times the diameter of the spore, 

 smooth, or without any definable sculpture, ochraceous ; spore- 

 mass dark ochraceous, under the lens the spores are brighter, 

 marked with reticulations much as in other species of the genus, 

 10-12 p. 



Separate from the preceding chiefly in color and habit. To 

 the naked eye the fructification suggests Tricliia pcrsimilis ; 

 the color much the same, and the sporangia similarly congested. 

 The peculiarly rudimentary condition of the capillitium is 

 apparently also constant. Iowa specimens accord perfectly 

 with those from New York. 



Rare. New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, 

 Iowa, Missouri. 



3. OLIGONEMA NITENS (Lib erf) Rost. 



PLATE VIII., Figs. 8, 8 a, 8 b. 



1834. Trichia nitens Libert, PL Cr. Ard., III., No. 227. 

 1875. Oligonema nitens (Libert) Rost., Mon., p. 291. 

 1883. Trichia pusilla Schroeter, Kr. Fl. Sc/iL, III., p. 114. 



Sporangia gathered in small heaped clusters, irregularly 

 spherical, bright straw color or yellow, sessile, superimposed, 

 the peridium thin, smooth, and shining ; capillitium of short 

 elaters, simple or branched, smooth, adorned with an occasional 

 projecting ring, often with faint spiral sculpture spreading 

 especially toward the apices, which are blunt or anon acute, 

 the point sometimes flexed or bent to one side, never very long ; 

 spore-mass bright yellow, spores globose, beautifully reticulate, 

 12-14 P- 



Readily recognized at sight by its heaped, shining, or glisten- 



