182 Mycetozoa of North America 



thick stalk. About 0.25 mm. diam. would coincide with the figure 

 and agrees with the Ontario examples. The spores in the Ameri- 

 can material are 7-8 /x diam., clear violet by transmitted light, 

 and the many reddish knots in the capillitium are prominent. In 

 all other respects they agree with Emoto's description. The spe- 

 cies has been collected repeatedly by Mr. Eli Davis and Mr. W. D. 

 Sutton, near London, Ontario. 



Family IV. AMAUROCHAETACEAE 



Sporangia combined to form an aethalium. Capillitium of 

 dark, purplish brown, irregular strands and threads, or of com- 

 plex vesicles; without wax. 



Schenella simplex Macbr. (Mycologia 3 : 39. 1911), based on a 

 single collection, might appropriately be placed in this family if 

 conclusively proven to be a form of the Mycetozoa. The original 

 description and figures are not impressive, and clearly indicate 

 the author was uncertain. 



Capillitium of irregularly branching threads; spores in 



mass black. 24. Amaurochaete 



Capillitium of horizontal threads, with many chambered 



vesicles; spores in mass purplish brown. 25. Brefeldia 



Genus 24. AMAUROCHAETE Rostafinski, Versuch 8. 

 1873. 



Aethalium pulvinate, composed of elongate, closely, com- 

 pacted, confluent sporangia ; sporangial walls not developed within 

 the aethalium; columellae black, rising from a dark, membranous 

 hypothallus, irregularly branched and anastomosing, merging 

 into the strands and threads of the capillitium. Spores, in mass, 

 black. 



Type species: Reticularia atra (Alb. & Schw.) Fries. 



This genus is confined to forms with spores black in mass, or 

 nearly so, and spinulose or warted, not reticulate. Forms ap- 

 proaching it in the capillitium, but with spores like those of 

 members of the genus Stemonitis, are placed, as confluent varie- 

 ties, with the appropriate species of the latter. 



Capillitium of branches irregularly anastomosing. 1. A . fiiliginosa 



Capillitium an elastic network of curved threads. 2. A. cribrosa 



