Prototric/tia. 129 



are in some specimens connate except at the tips, and then 

 present the appearance of a single sporangium with several 

 subacute apical lobes. The stem is somewhat contracted and 

 wrinkled longitudinally when dry. The present plant resembles 

 to a certain extent, when examined with a pocket-lens, fasci- 

 culate forms of Trichia fragilis, and from such superficial 

 examination Rostafinski gave it as a synonym of the last- 

 mentioned species. If it had been properly examined this 

 mistake would not have been made. 



B. Spores warted. 



Prototrichia cuprea, Mass. (figs. 127 129). 



Sporangia scattered or rather crowded, sub-globose, usually 

 sessile on a broad base, rarely attenuated below, or with a very 

 short distinct stem, bright copper-colour, shining, sometimes 

 iridescent ; mass of capillitium and spores reddish flesh-colour ; 

 capillitium copious, elaters 6 8 /^ thick at point of origin from 

 wall of sporangium, 60 80 p long, then branching once or 

 twice in a dichotomous manner, branches tapering upwards, 

 150 200 fj. long, each ending in a corymbose tuft of slender, 

 smooth, colourless filaments, 1 2 n thick, main trunk and 

 branches brownish, with rather close, not prominent spirals ; 

 spores globose, minutely warted, 10 13 p. diameter. 



Prototrichia cuprea, Mass., Rev. Trich., p. 351, pi. vii., f. 24. 

 (Type in Herb., Kew.) 



On dead thorn. Scarborough ; Carlisle. 



Sporangia pure white when immature, "5 rl mm. diameter, 

 bright copper-colour, polished and often iridescent, especially 

 when old and empty. Characterized by the warted spores and 

 the slender filaments terminating the main branches of the 

 elaters, which are not always so densely corymbose as figured 

 in Rev. Trich., pi. vii., f. 24. A form of the present species 

 sent by Mr. Camm from Smethwick has the elaters without a 

 trace of spiral marking, thus approaching P. chamaeleontina. 



