On the Pithophoeace^. 51 



themselves are also branchless (I have seen but one or two exceptions from this 

 rule), and besides these, a great deal of the common vegetative cells are without 

 branches. I have even seen one specimen quite devoid of branches; it is repre- 

 sented pi. 1, fig. 5. Short accessorial basal branches are not seldom found (pi. 1, 

 fig. 4). I have seen no helicoids in this species. The vegetative cells are in 

 general somewhat swollen or, if you like it better, contracted at the joints. The 

 spores ave m P. (equal/s noh. generally inclosed; of terminal ones I have only seen a 

 few. In specimens of the first type of ramification the inclosed spores are placed 

 exclusively in the branches of the l:st degree and not in the principal filament; 

 bnt in specimens of the 2:d, only in the principal filament and not in tlie branches. 

 Of both types, however, I have seen one specimen with spores both in the prin- 

 cipal filament and in the branches of the l:st degree. The inclosed spores are a 

 little swollen, casklike, but slender, with the ends somewhat rounded (pi. 1, fig. 

 4, 5). (One spore of cylindric form I have also observed.) They are always single; 

 twin spores I have not observed. The terminal spores are also cask-shaped, but 

 narrow, and grow tapering towards the top, which is rounded (pi. 1, fig. 5). 



The rhizoid part is in this species faintly developed. It generally consists 

 not of a whole cell, but only of that part, pointing obliquely downwards, of the 

 basal cell of the plant, which, in the germination, has developed in an opposite 

 direction to the cauloid. This part of the cell is always short; sometimes not 

 much longer than the thickness (pi. 1, fig. 5 rh), but sometimes 3 or 4 times as 

 long as thick. Not rarely I have found specimens in which the base has been 

 formed of a cell rounded at the lower end and sometimes also a little swollen at 

 the same end (pi. 1, fig. 6 sf/7). If this cell has, as I suppose, developed imme- 

 diately out of the germinating spore, the rhizoid part is here missing. In one or 

 two specimens I have found a rhizoid consisting of one cell, of almost the same 

 nature as in P. kavoisia nob., and in one specimen I have found this organ formed 

 by no less than three vegetative cells, but they were short and rather slender. 



>Sterile specimens resemble the fertile essentially as to the ramification 

 They differ somewhat, the branches generally being stronger; and moreover the 

 branches are found sometimes single, and sometimes two and two opposite to each 

 other. 



As in P. hicens'S nob., connecting forms are not rarely found between the 

 sterile and fertile specimens, that is, specimens that are at the lower end fertile and 

 have few branches, and at the upper end sterile with many branches, or vice versa. 



Measurements. Fertile specimens. Cauloid part. The cells of the 

 principal filament are on an av. lOi ft thick. The limits of variation are 75 and 

 120 fi. The cells of the branches of the l:st d*g'ree are on an av. 83 [i ; they vary 

 between 75 and 90 i-i. The cells of the branches of the 2:d degree are on an av. 

 67 fi thick; they can vary between 65 and 70 jx. The length of the cells varies rather 

 considerably; but they are never very long. The shortest are only twice and the 

 longest 20 times as long as thick. Generally they are 5 or 8 times as long as 

 thick. The diameter of the inclosed spores is on an av. Ill fx, and their length 250 ii. 

 The limits of variation are indicated by 'j"- J^° i|^ f^^ (x. The top spores are on an 

 av. 98 j(( thick and 288 ft long. They vary between ^^-^^^^ and i°j ft. 



