Clavarias of the United States and Canada 27 



As understood by Patouillard, C. falcata seems to differ from 

 the English idea of C. acuta in the two-spored basidium and the 

 less distinct stem. He says of the former (Tab. Fung., p. 116) : 

 "Quite simple, entirely white and smooth, club cylindrical, obtuse 

 at tip, glabrous ; basidia two-spored, spores white, spherical ; stalk 

 colorless, pellucid. Height 4-5 cm. On earth in woods, autumn." 

 His figure 258 shows 4 plants, basidia and spores, the latter 

 perfectly spherical, the basidia with two sterigmata. Size of 

 spores not given, but they are shown about the same diameter as 

 the thickness of those of C. pistillaris on the same page. The 

 stalks of the plants are not shown as clearly distinct from the 

 clubs. According to Fries C. acuta has a distinct stalk while C. 

 falcata does not. Clavaria falcata var. citrinopes Quelet differs 

 only in the yellow stem (Patouillard, Tab. Fung., p. 21, fig. 41). 



From the description it may easily be that C. panipcana Speg. 

 (Fungi Argentini IV. Anal. Soc. Cientif., Argentina, 12: 18 [of 

 separate]. 1881) is C. acuta. The large, subspherical spores are 

 in close agreement ( 6-7 x 7-1 If/,) . 



Juel (cited under C. cristata) has studied a plant he calls C. 

 falcata. It was unique among the Clavarias he studied in hav- 

 ing usually 7, often 6, or rarely 8 sterigmata and spores to a 

 basidium. The spindles in the basidium are long and narrow 

 and nearly longitudinal ; the spores long, smooth and uninucleate 

 (pi. 2, figs. 36-41). The spores look more like those of our C. 

 subfalcata than of any other species of similar shape. 



Illustrations: PMicheli. Nov. Plant. Gen., pi. 87, fig. 5. 1729 (referred to 

 C. falcata by Persoon). 



PPatouillard. Tab. Fung., fig. 258 (as C. falcata). 1884; fig. 41 (as C. fal- 

 cata var. citrinopes) . 1883. 



Sowerby. Engl. Fungi 3: pi. 333. 1801. 



North Carolina: Salem. Schweinitz. (Curtis Herb., as C. falcata). "Non 

 rara locis muscosis-" 



New York: New York Botanical Garden. Coker, No. 3189a. On earth in a 

 tub, September 21, 1918. 



