186 The Botanical Gazette. 3 i 
plant in addition to the frost work. Although itis, according 
to this representation, a much less definite and less beautiful 
object than our dittany ‘‘frost flowers,” there can be no doubt 
that the principle on which it was formed is the same. The 
author's description of it as ‘‘fashioned into all sorts of whim 
sical feathery curls and flanges and ridges” indicates at once 
the inadequacy of his figure to do it justice and the close 
analogy between it and the ‘‘frost flower” of Cunila. 
We shall probably soon hear of other plants that have a 
similar habit. | 
U. S. National Museum. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIX. 3 
Fig. 1. Cross-section of a four-winged frost-work, generalized. Fig. 2. Side 
view of same, showing mode and position of attachment to stem. Fig. 3. a 
tration of sinuous margin of some of the foils. Fig 4. Side view of same, show 
ing fluted or gathered appearance. 
BRIEFER ARTICLES. 
On two new or imperfectly known Myxomycetes.—W!TH PLA 
Comatricha caespitosa n. sp. Pl. xx, figs. 1-4.—Sporangia 
crowded or cespitose, rising from a delicate hypothallus. 
sporangia wery shortly stipitate or subsessile, clavate, I-15" 
paratively Pe 
out its length to the dense, blackish capillitium. Main b 
the capillitium thick at the point of origin, frequently anasto 
and becoming gradually thinner toward the surface of the sporangia 
tips pointed, free, not attached to the wall of the sporangium, pi 
ing no peripheral network. Spores globose, distinctly asperate, yr" 
in diameter, pale brownish-violet by transmitted light, blackish 
in the mass. 
On moss, and lichens of the genus Cladonia, Wood's 
August, 1892, W. A. Setchell. . 
This interesting species is characterized by its densely 
habit, more or less permanent sporangial wall, and large, 
spores. The individual columellas sometimes exhibit et 
! tions from the type, variations which might be taken tol 
mal developments. On the whole, however, the principal : 
istics of this Comatricha seem to be of definite spec — 
Holl, 2 
