156 Ciucitmati Society of Natural History. 



wall, the extremities branched and connected together. Spores 

 globose, even, pale violaceous, 8-10 mic. in diameter. Plate 

 XII, Fig. 48. 



Growing on old leaves. The plasmodiocarp forms very 

 much flattened irregular patches from a few to several milli- 

 meters in length or extent. I am indebted to Dr. Geo. A. 

 Rex, of Philadelphia, for the identification of my specimens, 

 with those in the herbarium of vSchweinitz, under the name of 

 P/iysarjim effiisiim. 



IV. LEPIDODERMA, DeB. Sporangium stipitate or ses- 

 sile, sometimes plasmodiocarp; the wall a thin, firm, color- 

 less membrane, with an outer layer of large scales consisting 

 of bicarbonate of lime, the scales either lying upon the wall 

 or inclosed in lenticular cavities of the membrane. Stipe 

 pre.sent or ab.sent ; the columella usually conspicuous. Cap- 

 illitium of very slender threads, simple or outwardly branch- 

 ing at a sharp angle, connected at the extremities. Spores 

 globose, violaceous. 



".In the present genus the carbonate of lime is present in 

 the form of very minute amorphous lumps until near to 

 maturity, when it is dis.solved and reappears as bicarbonate 

 of lime deposited in comparatively large flakes." — Massee. 



I. Lepidodkkm.v tigrinum, Schr. Sporangium large, much 

 depressed, hemispheric or lenticular, the base umbilicate, 

 stipitate ; the wall a firm, dark colored membrane, variegated 

 with large and small irregular shining scales, greenish-yellow 

 or straw color, rupturing irregularly. Stipe stout, thick, 

 erect, rugulose, ochraceous or ferruginous, variable in length, 

 expanding at the base into a thin hypothallus; the columella 

 brown, convex or hemispheric. Capillitium of slender, dark 

 colored threads, simple or sparingly branched, radiating from 

 the columella to the wall. Spores globose, minutely warted, 

 dark violaceous, 10-13 '"'C- '" diameter. 



Growing on old wood, moss, etc. Sporangium 1-1.5 mm. 

 in diameter, the stipe i mm. or le.ss in length. This appears 

 to be the only species of the genus thus far discovered in this 

 country. 



