COMATRICHA 157 



As the color becomes darker, there is resemblance to C. Suksdorfii; 

 a more open capilUtium, varying in degree, finally forms C. laxa; 

 the tendency to form cylindrical sporangia finds its expression in 

 species like C. subcaespitosa and C. aeqnalis; when the spores are 

 smaller and more distinctly marked, the approach is to C. pul- 

 chella; the breaking of the columella into primary branches of the 

 capillitium eventually forms C. elegans; and when the columella 

 finally disappears, and the capillitium is attached directly to the 

 top of the stalk, there is C. extendens. All forms mentioned are 

 well advanced as distinct species, and are more or less common, 

 except C. extendens. Much variation in shape, size and color will 

 be found among the members of the group. C. extendens has 

 been found but once, but the form is significant as ending a series 

 of forms showing the disappearance of the columella through 

 C. elegans. 



2. Comatricha Suksdorfii Ellis & Everh. Bull. Washburn Lab. 



Nat. Hist. 1: 5. 1884. {N. Y. B. G. no. 5310, type.) 

 Comatricha pacifica Macbr.; Peck & Gilb. Am. Jour. Bot. 19: 139. 1932. 



Plasmodium? Total height 2 to 8 mm. Sporangia scattered, 

 cylindrical or globose, stalked, dark purplish black. Stalk about 

 one half the total height, extending into the sporangium as a 

 columella. Capillitium a dense network of flexuose black threads, 

 springing from all parts of the columella. Spores brownish violet 

 or purplish gray, spinulose, 9-12 n diam. 



Type locality: Washington. 



Habitat: On dead coniferous wood. 



Distribution: British Columbia, California, Colorado, On- 

 tario, Oregon, Washington. 



Illustration: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 123, figs, i, k, as 

 C. nigra. 



The type collection, made by W. N. Suksdorf in Washington, 

 in September 1883, consists of cylindrical sporangia with a total 

 height up to 8 mm., the stalks about one half the total height. 

 Since then many developments with globose sporangia have been 

 obtained from Colorado and Ontario, but all having the charac- 

 teristic black color which is the important character separating 

 the form from C. nigra and C. aegualis. A specimen of C. pacifica, 

 from Prof. Macbride, in the Herbarium of the New York Botani- 

 cal Garden, agrees in every respect with the type collection of 

 C. Suksdorfii and is that species. 



