The Myxoniycetes of the Miami Valley, Ohio. 137 



1. Stkmonitis pusca, Roth. Sporangia elongated, siib- 

 cylindric, tapering and obtuse at the apex, tapering gradually 

 downward, growing closely crowded together on a strongly- 

 developed brown hypothallus. vStipe and columella smooth 

 and black, tapering grailually upward and disappearing near 

 the apex of the sporangium, the stipe shorter than the 

 columella. Capillitium of slender brown or blackish threads, 

 which immediately branch and anastomose, forming a dense 

 interior network of large irregular meshes, the ultimate 

 branchlets of which support a superficial network of small 

 polygonal meshes. Spores globose, dark violaceous, the sur- 

 face minutely warted, the warts with a reticulate arrangement, 

 7-9 mic. in diameter. 



Growing on old wood, bark, leaves, etc.; common every- 

 where. Sporangium with the stipe 6-15 mm. in height, the 

 sporangium .3-. 4 mm. in thickness, the stipe variable in 

 length, but always shorter than the sporangium. The meshes 

 of the superficial net vary in size in the same sporangium, 

 being usually 5-25 mic. in width, but sometimes they are 

 larger, ranging from 10-40 mic. in extent. The name Stc- 

 monitis maxima was given by Schweinitz to some unusually 

 large specimens which grew on a Polyporus. Steynoiiitis 

 dictyospora of Ro.stafinski's monograph, with spores 12 mic. 

 in diameter, is said to occur in South Carolina; I have seen 

 no specimens. 



2. Stemonitis tenerrima, B. & C. Sporangia small, sub- 

 cylindric, tapering and obtuse at the apex, tapering gradually 

 downward, growing close together on a thin brown hypoth- 

 allus. Stipe and columella black and smooth, tapering 

 gradually upward and vanishing toward the apex of the 

 sporangium, the stipe shorter than the columella. Capilli- 

 tium of very slender pale violet threads, which branch and 

 anastomose to form a dense interior network of large irregular 

 meshes, and then spread out into a superficial network of 

 small pol5'gonal meshes. Spores globose, even, pale brown- 

 ish-violet, 6-8 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig. 32. 



Growing on old wood mosses, etc. Sporangium with the 

 stipe 5-9 mm. in height, the sporangium .2-. 3 mm. in thick- 

 ness, the stipe' variable m length, but always shorter than the 

 sporangium. The meshes of the superficial network varying 



