AMAUROCHJETE 149 



progressive series, each to-day presents a case of arrested development. 

 Each in aethalioid fructification, reveals a mass of involved indi- 

 vidual (?) sporangia, so imperfectly developed that their outlines 

 can be inferred rather than anywhere, with absolute definiteness, 

 certainly ascertained. Perhaps, because similar sporangia in the group 

 to which either belongs, do come under other circumstances, to more 

 perfect individual form and function — perhaps for this reason we 

 may look upon these asthalia as exhibiting a suspended performance; 

 the sporangia have failed to go forward to what was evidently a 

 possible, though apparently not an essential destiny in form and figure. 

 For the care and dispersal of the spores, achievement must surely be 

 somewhat impaired. Whatever the measure of such inefficiency, 

 among the Stemonitales Amaurochnete shows the acme, as Reticularia 

 among the brown-spored forms. 



In Amaurochaete the individuality of anything like separate spo- 

 rangia is less clear. The view afforded, however, by a good vertical 

 section of a well-developed colony or cushion is interestingly abores- 

 cent. Ragged, dendroid stems arise, dissipated above into a network 

 most intricate, a "pleached arbor" if you please. The resemblance of 

 the overhead net to that presented by a stemonitis or comatricha is 

 very striking. 



Key to the Species of Amaurochaete 



A. Capillitium rigid, irregular spores rough . . \. A. fuliginosa 



B. Capillitium soft, woolly, cincinnate, spores as in A 2. A. iubulina 



1. Amaurochaete fuliginosa (Sowerby) Macbr. 

 Plate V., Figs. 8, 8 a. 



1803. Lycoperdon fuliginosum Sow., Eng. Fung., t. 257. 

 180S. Lycogala atrum, Alb. & Schw., Consp. Fung., p. 83. 

 1875. Amaurochaete atra (Alb. & Schw.) Rost, Mon., p. 211. 



Fructification aethalioid, varying in form and size, if on the upper 

 side of the substratum, pulvinate, if below pendent and almost stipi- 

 tate, covered with a delicate cortex, at first shining, soon dull, black, 

 fragile, and early dissipated ; hypothallus long-persisting, supporting 

 the capillitium, which is extremely variable, irregular, and for its 



