CRIBRARIA 205 



very much more complex, sponge-like. When thin this structure is 

 remarkable for its wide extent, 40-50 cm. ! The simpler forms approach 

 very near to Cribraria through C. argillacea. The most complex re- 

 mind us of Enteridium. 



Var. simplex Rex, Bot. Gazette 17 : 202, 1892 (= Licea spermoides 

 Berk. & Curt., Grev. 2 : 68, 1873; Physarum ccespitosum Peck, Rept. 

 N. Y. Mus. 26 : 75, 1874; Perichcena ccespitosa Peck, Rept. N. Y. 

 Mus. 31 : 57, 1889; Tubulina spermoides (B. & C.) Massee, Mon. 37, 

 1892; Tubulina ccespitosa (Peck) Massee, Mon. 43, 1892) is sometimes 

 used for the phase in which the sporangia are more or less separate, 

 cylindrical, even stalked, approaching Cribraria argillacea. 



Ehrenberg throws some doubt on the species he describes by sug- 

 gesting that the Plasmodium may be red. The description, however, 

 and figures are otherwise good. The Plasmodium has much the same 

 color as the mature fruit. 



Widely distributed. New England to the Black Hills and Colorado, 

 south to Arkansas and west to Washington and California; northern 

 temperate regions, Ceylon. 



2. Cribraria Persoon emend. Rost. 



Mon. 231. 1875. 



1794. Cribraria Pers., Roemer N. Mag. Bot. 1 : 91, in part. 

 1797. Cribraria Schrader, Nov. Gen. Plant. 1. 



Sporangia distinct, gregarious or closely crowded, globose or obo- 

 void, stipitate or rarely sessile; the stipe of varying length; the peridium 

 simple, marked within by distinct and peculiar granular thickenings, 

 which below take the form of radiating ribs, supporting the per- 

 sisting cup, the calyculus, and above, by extremely delicate anas- 

 tomosing branches, united to weave a more or less regular net with 

 open polygonal meshes; spores various, most commonly yellowish or 

 ochraceous, sometimes brown, reddish or purple. 



The genus Cribraria, as limited by Persoon, included all forms in 

 which the peridium is thin, evanescent at least in the upper half, and 

 in which the capillitium, as Persoon regarded it, is formed of a net- 

 work of reticulate threads surrounding the spores. Schrader redefined 

 the genus; opposed Persoon 's view as to the capillitial nature of the 

 net, and separated the genus Dictydium, but by imperfect limita- 

 tions, — in fact, chiefly because of the more completely evanescent 

 peridium. Fries follows Schrader. Rostafinski first clearly separated 

 the two genera, and his classification is here adopted. Nevertheless, 

 after reviewing the subject one is more and more inclined to appre- 



