‘Stratum and 
1905] ATKINSON—HYPOCREA ALUTACEA 407 
strates that H ypocrea alutacea is an autonomous plant,?4 and it is the 
first proof we have that it is not of a dual nature, parasitic on Clavaria 
ligula or Spathularia. 
It might still be contended that the plants which I found growing 
among the pine needles along with the Spathularia in North Carolina, 
were of a different species from those growing on rotting wood at 
Ithaca, N. Y. Especially might this view be taken since Frres*s 
describes Hypocrea alutacea as growing among needles of the fir, 
and describes a form ‘urgida, growing on rotting wood. SCHROETER 
(.¢.) when he states that according to his observations H ypocrea 
alutacea grows only on wood, cites FRreEs’s disposition of the two 
forms and says that possibly the form on wood is a different species 
which should be called H ypocrea turgida. It seems to me, however, 
More rational to attribute the slight variation in form to a recog- 
nizable Tange of variation in the species, either inherent in the species, 
or attributable to the change of substratum. According to F Ries 
the more robust form grows on wood. The form on wood at Ithaca 
"as More robust than the form among the pine needles in North 
Carolina. But I have collected a form on wood in North Carolina 
of the same size as, or even smaller than, those among the pine needles. 
However, the forms which I grew in pure culture on sterilized Lac- 
ue were more slender and were more like those found among the 
pine needles, alt ough their direct parentage was from the robust 
form from wood. 
The wood forms are found on half-decayed wood, and also on very 
Totten wood. From this condition of the substratum it is an easy 
Tansition to wood mold or leaf mold, in the adaptation of the plant 
‘0a limited range in the variation of the condition of the same uk 
‘ubstratum. Since the plant can grow as a saprophyte on ot 
Mushrooms, as shown by the pure cultures, it might be possible vi , 
“ometimes in the forest it grows as a saprophyte on decaying Spat g 
a Clavaria ligula buried among the leaves. It is very Ap 
however, that there is a range in the habitat of the species from W 
from the wood sub- 
2. 
+ These facts, as well as photographs of H ypocrea eA society of aioe 
at th, in pure cultures were presented before the Botanica 
: Washington meeting, December 30, 1902 to January 1, 1903+ 
*5 Syst. Myc. 23325. 1823. 
