118 EKDOSPOREiE. [COMATRICHA. 



with the evanescent sporangium-wall by short points. Spores 

 brownish-violet, nearly smooth, or minutely and closely spinulose, 

 7 to 11 yu. diam. Stemonitis, ohtusata Fr., Symb. Gast., p. 17 

 (1818). Cvmatrioha alta Preuss, in Linnsea, xxiv., p. 141. 

 Stemonitis nigra Pers., in Gmel., Syst. Nat., p. 1467 (1791). 

 Comatricha nigra Schroet., Pilze Schles., i., p. 118 (ISS't) ; Blytt, 

 Bidr. K. Norg., Sop. iii., p. 8. Stemonitis Friesiana de Bary, in 

 Rabenh., Pungi Europ., No. 568 (1863); Mass., Mon., p. 82. 

 Comatricha Friesiana Eost., Mon., p. 199 (1875); Cooke, Myx. 

 Brit., p. 48. C. suhccBspitosa Peck, in Rep, ZST. York Mus., xliii., 

 p. 25. Stemonitis suhccespitosa Mass., Mon., p. 80. Comatricha 

 cequalis Peck, in Rep. N. York Mus., xxxi., p. 42. Stemonitis 

 (Bqualis Mass., Mon., p. 80. Comatricha Suhsdorfii EUis k Everh. ; 

 N. Am. Fungi Exs. Stemonitis Suksdorfii Mass., Mon., p. 76. 



Plate XLIV., B.— a. sporangia of various forms, x 3| ; J. sporangia with 

 spores dispersed, showing capillitium, x 20 ; c. capillitium with flexuose 

 threads, forming a loose tangled network, y. 180 ; d. capillitium with much 

 branching flexuose threads forming a close network, x 180 ; e. capillitium 

 with threads uniting to form a superficial net more or less parallel with the 

 surface, x 180 ; /. spore, x 600 (England). 



A very abundant species in Europe, and subject to much variation 

 in the shape and size of the sporangium. C. xqudlis Peck has 

 cylindrical sporangia about 3 mm. long, and stalks of the same length ; 

 the capilhtium and spores, 7 fi diam., agree with those of C ohtusata, 

 from elongated forms of which C. mgualis cannot be distinguished. 

 C. suhccespitosa Peck is a small delicate form, 2 mm. in height, with 

 sporangia ellipsoid, and capillitium a network of slender flexuose violet- 

 brown threads, forming a more or less distinct superficial net in the 

 lower part ; the spores are almost smooth, and measure 10 to 11 ^ ; 

 although an unusually short-stalked delicate form, it presents no 

 characters by which it can be separated from C. ohtusata. C. Suks- 

 dorfii Ellis & Everh. is about the same height as C asqmlis ; the 

 capillitium is very dense, but not more so than is frequently seen in 

 globose sporangia of C ohtusata ; the spores are unusually dark and 

 large, 10 to 11 /i ; the tone of colour and the distribution of the minute 

 warts are, however, the same as in the last-named species, from which 

 it is not otherwise to be distinguished ; a similar form has been found 

 in England, with spores 8 to 10 ;u diam. C. aiqvalis Peck, C suh- 

 ccespitosa Peck, and C. Suksdorfii are represented in the British Museum 

 by glycerine jelly mountings from type specimens furnished by 

 Dr. Rex. 



Rab. On dead wood. — Batheaston, Somerset (B. M. 220) ; Lyme 

 Regis, Dorset (L:B.M.87) ; Boynton, Yorkshire (B. M. 1095)'; France 

 (Paris Herb.) ; Germany (B. M. 605) ; Finland (B. M. 612) ; Poland 

 (Straasb. Herb.) ; Philadelphia (L:B.M.87). 



2. C. laxa Rost., Mon., p. 201 (1875). Plasmodium watery- 

 white, in rotten wood. Total height, 1-5 to 3'5 mm. Sporangia 

 subglobose or shortly cylindrical, obtuse, scattered or gregarious. 

 Stalk black, shining, often stout, 0'3 to 0-6 mm. long. Columella 

 reaching nearly to the apex of the sporangium, narrowed up- 

 wards. Capillitium lax, the primary threads springing somewhat , 

 distantly from all parts of the columella, at first straight or 



