22 Clavarias of the United States and Canada 



Spores (of No. 5630) pure white, smooth, oval to oblong- 

 elliptic, with a large oil drop and a small eccentric mucro, 4.5-6 x 

 8-10.5[j.. Basidia 4-spored, 6.8-7.5[x thick. 



This is certainly C. subfalcata in spite of the fact that Atkin- 

 son does not mention any color except white. We rind it not at 

 all rare at Blowing Rock in exactly the same kinds of places in 

 which Atkinson found his plants. (He also found it on sphag- 

 num on Grandfather Mountain. ) In obviously related groups on 

 the same bank one finds colorless plants (usually the youngest 

 specimens) mingled with the colored ones. We have studied an 

 authentic specimen of C. subfalcata (No. 10689 from Blowing 

 Rock, N. C, mentioned in the original description, now in the 

 Bresadola Herbarium) and find spores identical with No. 5630. 

 There are also two other collections of this plant in the Bresadola 

 Herbarium from Atkinson, one (No. 14108) under the unpub- 

 lished name of C. albella (spores "7-9 x 5-6(jl"), the other (No. 

 13460) with spores 5-5.5 x 8-9. 3[j.. The original description of 

 Clavaria subfalcata is as follows : 



"Plants small, entirely white when fresh, yellowish when dry, 

 rarely white, very slender, 1-3 cm. high, 1 mm. stout; clavula dull 

 white; stipe distinct and transparent, with white mycelium 

 spreading over substratum. Basidia 4-spored. Spores oval-sub- 

 elliptical, thin-walled, granular, smooth, 7-10x5-7[x, in age with 

 a large oil drop. Near Clavaria affinis but spores not punctate." 



The present species is obviously very near C. gracillima 

 (which see). Their nearest relative is C. fuscata which can 

 hardly be distinguished except by the odor of garlic and the two- 

 spored basidia. Clavaria sphagnicola Boud. (Bull. Soc. Myc. Fr. 

 33: 12, pi. 4, fig. 3. 1917) is very near and perhaps identical with 

 the present species, but is described as having the stalk not dis- 

 tinct and the color as shown is a brighter yellow. Clavaria argil- 

 lacea differs distinctly in being larger and much stouter upward, 

 in the thicker and shorter stem, and in the more crowded habit. 



Illustration : Hurt. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 9 : pi. 9, fig. 80. 1922. 



North Carolina : Blowing Rock. Coker, No. 5573. In Cladonia and mosses 

 on a roadside bank, August 19, 1922. Spores 4.4-6.6x7.8-11/*. No. 

 5630. Same site as above, August 20, 1922. No. 5869. On bank by 

 roadside, August 27, 1922. (Above colls, in U. N. C. Herb.). Also 

 found by Atkinson. (Cornell Herb, and Bresadola Herb., types). 

 Grandfather Mountain. Atkinson. (Cornell Herb.). 



