STEMONITIS 171 



16. StEMONITIS HERBATICA Pk. 



Plate XVI., Figs. 14, 14 a, 14 b 



1874. Stetnonitis herbatica Peck, Rep. N. Y. Mus., XXVI., p. 75. 

 1899. Stemonitis axifera (Bull.) Macbr., N. A. S., p. 120, in part. 

 1911. Stemonitis herbatica Pk., Lister, Mycetozoa, p. 148. 



Sporangia clustered, in scattered tufts, cylindric, obtuse, pallid fer- 

 ruginous, stipitate or sometimes nearly sessile; stipe fuscous or jet- 

 black, only slightly expanded below, much shorter than the columella ; 

 hypothallus scanty or none; columella lessening upward, sometimes 

 attaining the apex of the sporangium, sometimes dissolved in capillitial 

 threads some distance below ; capillitium of rich brown threads form- 

 ing the usual inner network of medium density, with many wide ex- 

 panded nodes, the surface net made up of delicate, almost colorless 

 threads surrounding small polygonal meshes; spore-mass ferruginous, 

 spores by transmitted light very pale, brownish, minutely warted^ 

 7-9/.. 



The Plasmodium of this species is variously cited from white to 

 yellow. Probably each report is true, dependent on the relative time 

 of the observation. 



The low tufts of brown sporangia with short black stipes, borne 

 often as Dr. Peck found them, assembled on living leaves, distinguish 

 this little species. In the former edition this form was tentatively 

 enrolled under S. axifera (Bull.) ; but see further under that species. 



Probably widely distributed, but confused with short forms of 

 other species; sometimes also on rotten wood or other substratum; so 

 reported. 



New York to Iowa; Washington and Oregon. Reported also 

 from Europe. 



3. Comatrlcha (Preuss) Post. 



1851. Comatricha Preuss, Linnaca, XXIV., p. 140. 

 1873. Comatricha Rostafinski, Versuch, p. 7. 



Sporangia cylindric or globose, stipitate; stipe prolonged upward 

 to form a more or less extended and tapering columella bearing 

 branches on every side, which by repeated divisions and reunions form 

 the capillitium; ultimate branch-tips free, not supporting a surface 



