A Revision of the Trichiacew. By G. Massee. 329 



The genus is cosmopolitan, some species having a wide distribution. 

 Twenty-nine species are known, twenty-two of which are met with in 

 Europe, 



A. Spores smooth. 



* Elaters fusiform. 



Trichia Carlyleana, Mass. (n. sp.) fig. 15. 



Sporangia clavate or cyhndric-oblong, stipitate, dark purple-brown, 

 smooth, dull ; stem about half as long as sporangium, equal or slightly 

 incrassated downwards, and expanded into a small discoid base, 

 wrinkled longitudinally, coloured like the sporangium ; inner surface 

 of sporangial wall and hollow of stem with numerous rather large 

 organic masses of a bright reddish-jiurple colour ; mass of elaters and 

 spores dingy deep yellow ; elaters fusiform, 5-6 /x, at thickest part, 

 simple or frequently branched, tips attenuated into a long, smooth, 

 very fine, straight or flexuous spine, spirals crowded, thin, not pro- 

 minent ; spores globose, smooth, 10-12 fx diameter. 



On wood, Britain. (Carlisle ! * Dr. Carlyle.) (Type in Herb. Kew.) 

 Sporangia in fascicles of 3-5 ; 2-3 mm. high. Superficially resembling 

 some forms of Trichia fragilis, but perfectly distinct in the smooth 

 spores, and the narrow, crowded, and not at all prominent spirals of the 

 elaters which are frequently branched near the tips, and above all in the 

 organic lumps of a deep reddish-purple colour which line the inside of 

 the wall of the sporangium and the hollow of the stem. The colouring 

 matter in the organic masses is soluble in dilute potassic or ammonic 

 hydrate. 



* * Elaters cylindrical. 

 Trichia heterotricha, Balf. fil., fig. 16. 



" Sporangia sessile in clusters, dark yellow, wall thick, tough and 

 leathery, inner layer areolate ; elaters few, cylindrical, "0071 mm, 

 diameter (thickenings excluded), with walls of medium thickness, irre- 

 gularly and variously thickened, either ivith spines often twice diameter 

 of elater, or with short prickles or warts, or with complete or half- 

 rings, or sometimes with interrupted and irregidar spirals leaving 

 large intervening unthichened portions, swollen towards the ex- 

 tremities, and ending in a tapered, rarely smooth, arcuate or twisted 

 point, in length twice the diameter of elater, tube "0035 mm, diameter 

 terminating in the swelling of elater, or sometimes continued to the 

 apex; spores globose, '0160- '0178 mm. diameter, with a very thick 

 smooth membrane. 



Balf., Grev., v. 10, p. 117 ; Sacc, Syll., n. 1505, 



In Herb. Currey. No locality. On bark. (Type in Herb. 

 Kew, !) 



A species resembling most nearly forms of Tr. varia, Pers., but 



* The sign ! signifies that a si:)ecimen has been examined from the locality 

 indicated. 



