170 A Monograph of the Myxogastres. 



be entirely absent from all the elaters next examined. These 

 annular thickenings are also met with on the threads of the 

 capillitium of some species of Cornuvia, Didymium, Tilmadoche, 

 &c. In rare instances the two ends of an elater coalesce and 

 form a closed ring, as figured by Rostafinski in Oligonema nitcns, 

 Host., Hon., fig. 198. 



Distrib. Europe ; North Africa ; North America. Species 7. 



* Epispore reticulated. 

 Oligonema nitens, Host. (figs. 193 195). 



Sporangia densely crowded, in one or several superposed 

 layers, when scattered, sessile on a broad or slightly contracted 

 base, clear primrose-yellow, very smooth and shining; mass of 

 capillitium and spores yellow; elaters scanty, 4 5 \JL thick, 

 simple or sparingly branched, very variable in marking, with 

 scattered, thick, projecting rings, or a very indistinct, open 

 spiral on the whole or part of an elater, or a combination of 

 both, not unfrequently perfectly smooth, tips obtuse or more 

 or less pointed ; spores globose, with narrow raised ridges of 

 varying thickness, forming an irregular network, 11 13 jut 

 diameter. 



Oligonema nitcns, Host., Mon., p. 291, f. 198 ; Cke., Myx. Brit., 

 f. 198 ; Schroeter, p. 108 ; Sacc., Syll., n. 1488 (the sporangium 

 described as of a gilvous colour by mistake) ; Mass., Rev. Trich., 

 p. 347, f. 29. 



Oligonema bavarica, Balf. and Berl., Sacc., Syll., n. 1490. 



Oligonema nitens, a bavarica, Mass., Rev. Trich., p. 347, f. 25. 



Trichia nitens, Libert, PL Cr. Ard., fasc. iii., n. 227. 



Exsicc. Lib., PL Crypt. Ard., fasc. iii., n. 227 (as Trichia 

 nitens) ; Klotzsch, Herb. Myc., (Rabeuh.) 137 (as Trichia circum- 

 scissa)\ Fuckel, F. Rhen., 2198 (as Trichia nitcns}', de Thum., 

 Myc. Univ., nos. 399 and 1497 (as Trichia Bavarica}. 



On wood, bark, &c. Britain (Carlisle, Bristol, Birmingham) ; 

 France; Bavaria; Germany. 



Sporangia '5 1 mm. diameter, clear yellow, polished ; the 

 elaters are extremely variable in marking, as is also the 



