Trichia 229 



Type locality: Europe. 



Habitat: On dead wood. 



Distribution: Common and abundant throughout conti- 

 nental North America. 



Illustration: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 159, figs, c, d. 



The developments appear late, after two thirds of the fruiting 

 season has passed. There are few connecting forms with other 

 species, which makes this species very constant as a rule. It can 

 often be recognized in the field by its orange-yellow color. As 

 in all the species of Trichia, occasional forms are found that de- 

 part in some respects, mainly in the markings on the elaters and 

 spores. Lister has examined the type of Oligonema fulvum, and 

 regards it as a form of the present species; it was based apparently 

 upon a single gathering. 



6. Trichia varia Pers. Neues Mag. Bot. 1 : 90. 1794. 



Plasmodium white (Lister). Sporangia globose, obovoid, or 

 turbinate, 0.6 to 0.9 mm. diam., sessile, short-stalked, or forming 

 short plasmodiocarps, crowded or scattered, ochraceous yellow or 

 olivaceous, often forming large colonies; sporangial wall mem- 

 branous, pale yellow, marked with ring-shaped or crescentic 

 thickenings. Stalks 0.1 to 0.5 mm. high, thick, black, furrowed. 

 Capillitium of cylindrical ochraceous yellow elaters 3-5 ju diam., 

 tapering shortly at the ends and terminating in curved points, 

 marked with two well-defined spiral bands which are more promi- 

 nent on one side of the elater than on the other. Spores ochrace- 

 ous yellow, minutely warted, 11-16 n diam. (Plate 16, fig. 13.) 



Type locality: Europe. 



Habitat: On dead wood. 



Distribution: Common and abundant throughout North 

 America. 



Illustration: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 164, figs. a-c. 



This species is clearly distinguished from every other one of the 

 genus by the two spiral bands on the elaters, which are prominent, 

 and more so on one side. Stalked forms are not rare in the latter 

 part of the season when the species is fruiting in abundance, and 

 occasionally sausage-shaped sporangia on stalks are found. The 

 better developments are produced at that time, often olivaceous 

 in color and with thin sporangial walls. The earlier fruitings are 

 usually ochraceous and the sporangia have thicker walls. A 



