134 Cinciunati Society of Natural History. 



tapering upward and vanishing into the capillitiuni toward 

 the apex of the sporangium, the stipe usually longer than the 

 columella. Capillitiuni of slender pale brown threads; these 

 branch several times with lateral anastomosing branchlets, 

 forming a rather open network of small meshes, ending with 

 very short free extremities. Spores globose, even, pale 

 ochraceous, 6-7 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 29. 



Growing on old pine wood. Sporangium .3-. 6 mm. in 

 height by .3-. 5 mm. in width, the stipe usuall}- a little longer 

 than the sporangium. This elegant little species I have from 

 Mr. J. B. Ellis, of Newfield, N. J. It is said to be mingled in 

 some of the specimens with Lamproderma Ellisiana, Cke. 



§2. Larvella. Threads of the capillitiuni branching a 

 few times and anastomosing to form a network of large 

 meshes, attaining the wall by numerous long, free extremities. 



5. CoMATRiCHA CRYPTA, Schw. Sporangia cylindric, bent 

 or flexuous and more or less inclined, growing close together 

 on a conspicuous purplish-brown hypothallus. Stipe and 

 columella smooth and black, tapering upward and reaching 

 the apex of the sporangium, the columella bent and flexuous 

 or spirally twisted, about as long as the stipe. Capillitiuni 

 composed of irregular, bent and uneven threads, which are 

 brown below, becoming colorless outwardly ; the threads 

 branch a few times, forming a network of large irregular 

 meshes, sometimes much defective ; the free extremities 

 irregular and unequal, simple or branched. Spores globose, 

 brown, minutely warted, 7-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, 



Fig- so- 

 Growing out of fissures of the bark and wood of Hickory, 

 Acer, etc. Sporangium with the stipe 4-7 mm. in height, the 

 stipe a little shorter, or sometimes much longer than the 

 sporangium, the latter .25-. 30 mm. in thickness. The exterior 

 colorless portion of the capillitiuni is exceedingly delicate, 

 easily breaking away and leaving the capillitiuni quite irreg- 

 ular and defective. Stcmonitis crypta, Schweinitz's N. A. 

 Fungi, 2351. Comatricha irregularis, Rex, is the same thing. 



6. Comatricha c^:spitosa, Sturgis. Sporangia short, 

 clavate, densely crowded orcaespitose upon a delicate hypoth- 

 allus : the wall subpersistent, silvery, shining with tints of 



