Stemonitis. 79 



Stemonitis Bauerlinii, Mass. (n. sp.). 



Densely gregarious on a well-developed, firm hypothallus; 

 sporangia elongato-fusiform, wall blackish, iridescent, very 

 evanescent, mass of spores black with a violet tinge ; stem erect, 

 black, shining, slightly tapering from the base; columella ex- 

 tending to apex of sporangium ; flexuous above ; capillitium of 

 lower half of sporangium of large, equal meshes which are peri- 

 pheral only and supported on distant, thin, simple or rarely divided 

 branches springing from the columella, the main branches become 

 more and more numerous, thicker, and irregular towards the apex 

 of the sporangium, and often form irregular, flattened expansions ; 

 the branches forming the net are also much thicker, and the meshes 

 irregular, and not all peripheral as towards the base of the 

 sporangium; many of the branches of the network towards the 

 apex with short free ends; spores globose, smooth, 5 6 f* 

 diameter. 



On wood. New Guinea (Strickland River). 

 'From l - 5 2 cm. high. Distinguished by the capillitium 

 being very scanty and the network being entirely peripheral 

 below, becoming very dense towards the apex. 



Stemonitis laxa, Mass. 



Sporangia spherical, scarcely "5 mm. diameter; stem rigid, 

 black, not attaining to 1 mm. in length; columella almost 

 reaching to apex of sporangium, and then dividing into 2 3 

 branches ; threads of the capillitium of equal width throughout, 

 very rigid, forming a regular, lax network, ultimate branches 

 arcuate, connected by transverse bands, some remaining free and 

 furcately divided; spores smooth, lilac, 9 11 ju, diameter. 



Comatricha laxa, Host., Mon., p. 201 ; Sacc., Syll., vii., 1, 

 no. 1358. 



Germany. 



Stemonitis flummensis, Speg. 



Hypothallus very thin, broadly effused, mucedinous, black, 

 rather shining ; stem erect, rather rigid, shining, black, 0'5 1 



