398 The Botanical Gazette. [October, 
nection is the relation of C. mzcroscopica B. & C. to the 
two foregoing Schweinitzian forms. In their spores and net- 
work these three forms essentially agree. They vary only 
in the shape of the sporangium, which is a diagnostic charac- 
ter of no specific value, and in the size or degree of develop- 
ment of the calyculus which must be conceded to be variable 
and therefore a specific character of doubtful value. 
The only species of Cribraria created solely upon the ab- 
sence of a calyculus as a determining specific factor is C. 
dictydioides Balf.; but the great variability in the size of the 
calyculus in different gatherings and even in the same gath- 
ering of the allied and overlapping species C. tenella and C. 
intricata makes the validity of C. dictydioides more than 
doubtful. ' 
Sporangia without calyculi associated with others having 
minute disciform calyculi are constantly found with the typ 
cal net characters of both the above species. The same var 
iability of the calyculus is also found, though to a much less 
extent, in sporangia of the type of C. vulgaris Schrad. | 
As C. microscopica B. & C. differs from typical C. mmr 
tissima Swz. only in having globose or slightly obovate 
stead of ellipsoidal sporangia, the writer concludes that it's 
not specifically distinct, but should be merged in C. minutts- 
stma Swz. which is the older species. h 
The Berkeleyan form of C. minutissima Swz. holds the 
same relative position to the type as C. dictydioides to oy 
tricata and C. tenella. It is a constant variety of C. iis 
Zisstma and could only doubtfully be assigned a separate an 
valid specific place. E Fair- 
The localities for this species known to the writer he N. 
mount Park, Phila.; Shawangunk Mts., N. Y.; Ne pk 
J. (J. B. Ellis); and the original station at Bethlehem, 
(Schweinitz). The Berkeleyan variety is probably more 
quently found than the typical form. ; : 
- In the preparation of "the preceding notes the writer : 
amined and compared the type of C. minutisstma speci- 
in the Schweinitzian herbarium, with an authentic 
men of C. microscopica B. & C. communicated by to the 
tis, the collector and one of the authors of the Laan nia, 
herbarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences, eee 
which corresponds absolutely to the descriptions © the same 
by Rostafinski and Massee and is probably a part of os 
gathering. Specimens from several private collectio 
trating the Berkeleyan variety, were also examinc™ 
J 
a 
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