MYXOMYCETES. 61 



spiral-shaped or under the form of numerous spines, warts, or 

 transverse rings ; without fixed columella ; exceptionally contain- 

 ing lime, exclusively in the walls of the sporangia ; now and then 

 a?thalia covered with a stout double cortex of coloured cells. 

 Rtfki. Mon., 242. 



Family 16. TRICHIACEJE. 



Without lime, sporangia sessile or stipitate, usually dehiscing 

 irregularly. Wall of the sporangium single or double, the inner 

 one surrounds on all sides if protruding, and in this manner sepa- 

 rates the mass of spores and capillitium from the tube of the stem ; 

 capillitlum either of simple threads with both ends attenuated, or 

 combined into a net, with thin-sided walls, provided with serpen- 

 tine thickenings; wall of sporangium, capillitium, and spores 

 usually of the same colour in the same sporangium, mostly olive 

 or brownish. Rtfki. Mon., '24.3. 



Gems 34. TRICHIA. Hall. 



Tubes of the capillitium simple, free, with both extremities 

 pointed, only exceptionally now and then forked. Rtfki. Mon., 243. 



75. Trichia fallax. Pers. 



Sporangia turbinate, shining, stipitate, of different shades of 

 yellow ; stem darker, filled with polygonal masses of organized 

 matter, changing at the end directly into more and more regular 

 roundish masses, and at last quite normal spores. Elaters 

 fusiform, '004--0058 mm., thick in the centre, narrowed uniformly 

 to the ends, but not considerably, at least terminating in a 

 point from four to six times in length of the diameter of the 

 elaters, smooth ; spiral of three spires, but little prominent, divided 

 from each other by narrower, or equally wide depressions. In some 

 individuals the greater part of the elaters branched, a few, even in 

 the typical form, with the terminal arm ; spores 'Ol-'Ol^S mm., 

 delicately warted. Rtfki. Mon., 243. 



On rotten wood. (Figs. 211, 221, 222, 233-236.) 



a. minor. Spornngia usually turbinate, rarely pyriform, or 



clavate, dark-ochre or ochre-brown, H nun. high. 

 j3. genuina. Sporangia usually turbinate, rarely pyriform 'or 



clavnte, ochre- yellow, now and then olive- green, 2-3^ mm. 



high. 

 y. cezina. Sporangia pyriform, usually olive-yellow, 4-5 mm. 



high. 



I. simplex. Elaters fusiform, simple, with only two 



ends. 



II. fuicata. Elaters usually with the ends branched, 



sometimes with branches in the centre ; ends 

 from three to ten. 



