Lachnololus. 137 



mature as an aid in spore dispersion, a function performed by 

 the elastic capillitium in some species of Arcyria, but not all,, 

 as in several species belonging to the last-named genus, the 

 capillitium is in many places attached to the wall, as in A. 

 chrysospora, A. pallidula, &c. In Arcyria the markings on the 

 capillitium threads are generally more developed than in 

 Lachnobolus. 

 Distrib. Europe ; United States. Species 4. 



Lachnobolus globosus, Host. (fig. 204). 



Sporangia globose, stipitate, lower half of sporangial wall 

 stout, persistcnt^upper half very thin, evanescent, yellow, becoming 

 whitish; stern about equal in length to sporangium, straight, 

 coloured like the sporangium, filled with large irregular angular 

 cells; mass of capillitium and spores colour of ground ginger; 

 capillitium dense, combined into an irregular network, attached 

 at many points to persistent portion of sporangium, threads 

 varying from 3 6 /x broad, closely covered with minute warts; 

 capillitium not elastic ; spores at first sub-angular from mutual 

 pressure, then becoming globose, but the thick wall remains 

 slightly thickened at the angles, hence looking as if furnished 

 with a few rudimentary warts, 6 7 /x diameter. 



Lachnobolus globosus, Host., Mon., p. 283 ; Sacc., Syll., vii., 

 pt. I, n. 1479. 



On dry involucres of sweet chestnut. 



United States. 



(Specimen from Schweinitz in Herb. Berk., Kew.) 



Gregarious, about T5 mm. high. 



(Rostafinski's Synonyms.) 



Arcyria globosa, Sz., Consp. Fung. Carol., n. 400 ; Amcr. 



Fung., n. 2340 (1822). 



Craterium globosum, Fr., S. M., iii., 154 (1829). 

 Nassula globosa, Fr., Summ. Veg. Sc., 456 (1849). 



Var, minor, Ellis, N. Amer. Fung. Exs., n. 1397. 



