COMATRICHA 173 



obovate, decidedly truncate above. The spores are rather variable in 

 size, the warts also of different sizes and more or less clustered. 



This species, as indicated, was described by its author as a coma- 

 tricha. To transfer it to another genus seems idle, especially when 

 long-established generic boundaries must be seriously disturbed ex- 

 pressly to admit the new arrival. 



New England, North Carolina, on moss and lichens. 



2. Comatricha cylindrica (Bilgram) Macbr. 



N. A. Slime-Moulds ed. 2. 173. 1922. 

 PI. XII, Figs. 280, 281. 



1905. Diachcea cylindrica Bilg., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila. 524. 



Sporangia cylindrical with obtuse apex, sessile, gregarious, iridescent, 

 steel-gray or bronze, 1-1.7 mm. high, 0.5-0.65 mm. thick; hypothallus 

 whitish, rugose; sporangium wall membranous, hyaline, not adhering 

 to the capillitium; columella arising from the hypothallus and extend- 

 ing nearly to the apex, brown, very light and semi-translucent near 

 the base, irregular, rlexuous, limeless throughout; capillitium brown, 

 radiating from the columella to the periphery, repeatedly branching 

 and anastomosing; spores warted, the warts connected by ridges form- 

 ing a more or less perfect, coarse reticulation, violaceous, pale, 10-12 n- 



This is a very interesting species, closely related to the preceding, 

 from which it differs chiefly in the reticulation and generally more 

 uniform character of the spores. The author hesitated about the 

 generic reference, finally referring it to Diachea despite the lack of 

 calcium, because it was sessile and had a peridium rather more per- 

 sistent than is usual in comatrichas. But the presence of lime in stipe 

 and columella is an essential element in the diagnosis of Diachea, 

 while length of stem is everywhere variable in stipitate forms of every 

 genus, and the persistence of the peridium is also an uncertain factor. 



Pennsylvania, New Hampshire. 



3. Comatricha rispaudii Eagelstein 



Mycologia 21 : 297. 1929. 

 PL XII, Figs. 282, 283. 



Sporangia sessile, cylindrical or clavate-cylindrical, clustered in 

 dense groups up to thirty or more sporangia, sometimes superimposed, 

 color brown with a violet tinge, size 0.8-1.5 mm. high, 0.4-0.6 mm. 

 thick; sporangium wall evanescent but persisting at the base and 

 frequently forming pseudo-cups which blend with the hypothallus; 

 columella dark brown, stout at the base but becoming slender, solid, 



