18 HYXOMYCETES. 



* Plasmodiocarp creeping or net-like, 

 splitting with a longitudinal 

 fissure .... SINUOSUM. 



** Sporangium single. 



) Globose, snow-white . . diderma. 



) ) Not globose, yellow or orange, 



rarely white. 



Spores 'OOS-'OOO min., scarcely spinulose conglomeratum. 

 Spores '012 mm., very spinulose . . CONTEXTUM. 



Gemis 4. CRATERIUM. Trent. 



Sporangia regular, determinate, splitting with a lid, walls papy- 

 raceous, stiff, invariably stipitate. Lower part of the sporangium, 

 after the spores are expelled, permanent, cyathif'orm ; walls of 

 sporangia double or treble, the outer passing down into the tubular 

 stem, inner usually surrounding the mass of spores on all sides, 

 and the base of the tubes of the capillitium stout, inevitably con- 

 taining numerous granules of lime; rigid, persistent after the dis- 

 persal of the spores ; C'llumella almost always evident, formed in 

 the centre by the free, strongly-developed knots of the capillitium. 

 Rtfski. Mon., 118. 



Sub.-Gen. 1. Leiocraterium. 

 11. Craterium vulgare. L'ifm. 



Stem equal in length to the sporangium, coloured, very plicate, 

 penetrating, shining ; sporangium, cyathiform, otherwise coloured, 

 rugose below, shining and smooth above ; lid chalky-white; spores 

 bright- violet, smooth, 'OSo-'Ol mm. lltfki. Alon., 118. 



var. a. genuinum. 



Sporangium dark nut-brown, stem saffron-yellow. 

 ,, /3. confusum. 



Sporangium ochre-brown, stem rusty-yellow or dull-brown. 

 y. albicans. 



Sporangium whitish, dirty-ochre below, stem ochrey, or 

 dull-brown. 



On moss, sticks, leaves, &c. (Figs. 94, 96.) 



Fungoides in fun dibit I?' forme, Mich., t. 86, f. 13 (1729). 



Craterium pedunculatum, Trent., p. 244 (1797); Cooke Hdbk., 

 No. 1149. 



Cratei ium vulgare, Ditrn., t. 9 (1817); Nces., f. 120; Chev. 

 Par., t 4, f. 2-fi. 



Craterium leucocephaltim, Desm. Cat.. 27 (182^). 



Craterium minutum, Cooke Fungi Brit., i., No. 525 ; ii., 208. 



