10 Clavarias of the United States and Canada 



The genus comprises such a varied assortment of species as to 

 be easily divided into a number of groups of a validity at least equal 

 to accepted genera of agarics and other families of fungi. To 

 distinguish sharply such groups is, however, no easier than in 

 most cases of such splitting; and we are inclined to choose here 

 a course that we should like to see much more generally followed, 

 which is to let the old genera alone until it becomes a greater in- 

 convenience to retain them than to subdivide them. It is quite 

 right to indicate the natural groups of species under a genus 

 either under the title of groups or sub-genera ; but there is no good 

 end accomplished by establishing genera that are harder to define 

 than are the species that compose them. 



We have attempted below to arrange the species in natural 

 groups so far as is possible with our present knowledge of their 

 structure. 



1. Plants small, isolated (not cespitose) ; simple or slightly 

 branched ; of flexible or brittle texture ; spores smooth and white. 

 Growing on the ground or in moss or on rotten wood covered with 

 aigae. Related to Typhula and Pistillaria. Here belong C. filipes, 

 C. gracillima, C. subfalcata, C. fuscata, C. acuta, C. argillacea, C. 

 mucida, C. luteo-ochracea, C. biformis, C. vernalis, C. Macouni. 

 This is in part the group Holocoryne of Fries, to which some have 

 been added and some withdrawn. In its frequently cespitose habit 

 C. argillacea connects this group with the following. 



2. Plants typically (?) cespitose or in small clusters (indi- 

 viduals may be isolated), simple, subcylindrical to clavate or fusi- 

 form; spores white or (in one species) pale yellow, smooth or (in 

 one species) asperulate. Growing on the ground: C. helveola, C. 

 rosea, C. fumosa, C. purpurea, C. nigrita, C. vermiculata, C. citri- 

 ceps, C. appalachiensis, C. fusiformis, C. pulchra, C. aurantio- 

 cinnabarina, C. asperulospora, C. inaequalis. This is in greater 

 part the group Syncoryne of Fries. 



3. Plants of small to medium size, single or a few in a cluster, 

 simple or branched from a single slender stem or from several 

 slender stems united at the ground; pliable, not brittle; spores 

 of moderate size, spherical to suboval, smooth, white; basidia 4- 

 spored. Growing on the ground : C. muscoides, C. cineroides. 



4. Plants of small to medium size; single, simple or much 

 branched, not brittle ; white, gray, pallid, smoky, dull purplish, etc. 



