98 British Fungi. 



swollen at tlie points from wliich the verticillate 

 branches spring. 



Thamnidium, Link. 



Sporangiferous hyph^ scattered, erect, branched, 

 rarely simple; sporaDgium terminating the main stem, 

 large, globose, containing maoy spores; branches 

 verticillate, twice or several times dichotomously 

 divided, branchlets spreading, straight, terminated by 

 small globose sporangiola, containing few, rarely only 

 one spore. 



T/ia??2?n'cZm7?i, Link, Spec. PI. i. p. 97; Sacc. Syll. 

 vii. 23. 211. 



Ascophora, Cke. Hdbk. p. 629. 



^linute, closely related to the genus Helicostylum, 

 but distinguished by the repeated dichotomous 

 branches, which are straight, and not spirally coiled or 

 curved as in the last named genus. 



Thamnidium elegans, Link. 



Sporangiferous hyph^e erect, branched ; sporan- 

 gium of primary hypha globose, brown, columella 

 large, spores numerous ; branches verticillate or soli- 

 tary, repeatedly dichotomous, terminating in small, 

 spherical sporangiola containiug not more than ten 

 spores, frequently fewer; spores of both forms of 

 sporangia similar, elliptical, hyaline, rarely with a 

 bluish tinge, 8-10x6-8 jjl. 



Thamnidiura elegans. Link, Obs. p. 45, t. ii. f. 45; 



Sacc. Syll. vii. n. 714. 



Ascoijliora elegans^ Cke. Hdbk. n. 1881. 



On putrid organic substances, dung, &c. Local. 



Forming minute, white, fugacious tufts ; variable. 



