352 PETCH : 



numerous membranous expansions. In a gathering from 

 Waharaka the stalks attain a length of 4*25 mm., and the 

 sporangium 15 mm., making a total height of 19-25 mm. ; the 

 columella is central below, but becomes lateral above, and the 

 capilUtium consists of little more than a superficial net with 

 abundant membranous expansions. In another similar 

 gathering from Yatiyantota the columella is lateral, and often 

 spiral ; the total height in these is 14 mm. In both these 

 gatherings the spores are 7 to 8 w diameter. A gathering 

 from Peradeniya, on the other hand, has strongly spinulose 

 spores, 11 to 12 M diameter, while the sporangia are only 1 '25 

 to 2*25 mm. high. 



Peradeniya, Badurehya, Yatiyantota, Pattipola, Hak- 

 gala, &c. 



Stemonitis herbatlca, Peck. 



Fairly common, ripening on wood or dead leaves or on 

 stems of hving herbaceous plants. The white plasmodium 

 was found on one occasion developing into coral-Hke masses on 

 dead leaves and on the bare soil. These subsequently formed 

 loose sethaUa of convoluted lobes two or more centimetres in 

 diameter, or flattened patches extending over several centi- 

 metres, resembling in shape some forms of Spumaria alba, 

 but purple-biown with a grayish outer waU. These are var. 

 confluens, identical, as Mr. Lister informed me, with those 

 figured on Plate LXXVII. of his Monograph, where they are 

 attributed to S. fusca. The wall is membranous, with a 

 pm'ple tint when mounted ; the capiUitium is a network of 

 coarse violet-brown strands, up to 12 /^ wide, with expansions 

 at the axils ; the spores are 8 /x diameter, lilac-gray, minutely 

 warted ; in parts there is a fairly strongly developed black or 

 brownish -black hypothaUus. 



Peradeniya, BaduUa, Yatiyantota; var. conf^uens , Gan- 

 garuwa. 



Stemonitis ferruginea, Ehr. 



Stemonitis Smithii, Macbride, in Lister, Monograph, p. 115. 



Fairly common at Peradeniya. Stalks 1-3 to 5 mm, long ; 

 total height 4*5 to 10 mm. ; spores 4 to 6 A' diameter. 



Peradeniya, Hakgala, &c. 



