HEMITRICHIA 265 



yellow or ochraceous, made up of slender threads more or less freely 

 branched and netted, bearing four or five regular, even, spiral plates 

 which project sharply and are generally smooth, the free extremities 

 numerous or almost none, swollen, or simply obtuse ; spore-mass con- 

 colorous, spores by transmitted light pale yellow, globose, minOtely 

 but distinctly warted, 8-9 fx. 



This cosmopolitan species is generally one of the first brought in 

 by the collector, its color and comparatively large size, 2-3 mm. high, 

 making it conspicuous. Nevertheless, we are not able to recognize 

 it in the descriptions of the older authors. Rostafinski quotes 

 Schmiedel, Icones, 1776, as affording the earliest account of the 

 species, but neither his description nor figure is definitive. Even Bul- 

 liard fails us here, and is differently interpreted by different authors. 

 Persoon's description is none too good, but is reenforced by Fries and 

 Rostafinski. The capillitium is variable both in the degree of smooth- 

 ness presented, and the number of free ends, and the amount of 

 branching. The spores in all specimens we have examined are re- 

 markably constant in .'ize and surface. In typical spcimens free ends 

 are easily discoverable, the branching forms a definite net, and the 

 perfectly formed capillitial thread is smooth. In some American 

 forms — developed under less favorable circumstances ? — the net is 

 less determined, the free ends are many, and the spirals minutely 

 rough. Here may be placed H. funalis Morgan, /. c. 



Widely distributed. New England to Colorado, south to Mexico. 



9. Hemitrichia stipitata {Mass.) Macbr. 



1889. Hemiarcyria stipitata Mass., Jour. Mic. Soc, p. 354. 

 1893. Hemiarcyria plumosa, Morg., Jour. Cin. Soc, p. 29. 



Sporangia scattered, seldom crowded, obovoid or turbinate, oliv- 

 aceous yellow, stipitate ; the peridium smooth without, granulose with- 

 in, evanescent above, persisting as a funnel-shaped cup below ; the stipe 

 long, reddish or blackish, rising from a small hypothallus ; capillitium 

 of threads 5-6 yu, thick, very much branched, forming a dense net, 

 free ends none, or not evident; the sculpture as in H. davata, smooth 

 and regular; spore-mass yellow; spores by transmitted light yellow, 

 minutely warted, 7-8 /x. 



This form corresponds in nearly every respect with H davata, 



