778 ` The American Naturalist. [August, 
bers, although never so close as to touch each other. The networks of 
hyphz at the base of each Actinoceps stipe were found to interlace _ 
among the bacilli, and to ramify somewhat widely through the nutri- 
tive material. In general the appearance of each stroma was more 
or less glaucescent, varying in a few individuals to a faint and very 
light yellow color. 
For comparison a transcription of the Saccardian description is 
given here in English. The original will be found on p. 579 of Vol. 
IV., and the single species described is ** No. 2747.”’ 
* Actinoceps B. and Br., Suppl. Fungi of Ceylon. . . Stipe hya- 
line, cylindrical, composite; hyphze repeatedly branched and accu- 
mulated in a globose head, with radiating spicules; hyphze sometimes 
prolonged into radiating, vitreous, granulate spicules, again devel- 
oped as very slender conidiophores ; conidia very minute hyaline. 
“Actinoceps thwaitesii B. and Br. Stipe 400 to 500 » in length; 
head, 140 to 160 in diameter ; spicules shaped as in sponges, cover- 
ing the head rather loosely with spines ; spore-bearing hyphz repeat- 
edly branched, sub-flexuose ; conidia elliptico-spheroid. 
* Hab. In decayed, leathery leaves, Ceylon.’’ 
From this it will be seen that the genus Actinoceps differs little 
from Stilbum, the spicules of the former constituting the diagnostic 
character. Like Stilbum, the Actinoceps studied in Minnesota has the 
conidia enclosed within a mucilaginous layer, so that the younger 
plants generally present a somewhat shining aspect, while the older 
ones are slightly desiccated, and appear sub-pulverulent. 
Comparing the Minnesota Actinoceps with the description of the 
Ceylonese form certain minor differences in size are noted. Since 
spore and hypha measurements are omitted in the description of 
Actinoceps thwaitesii, the comparison extends only to the stromatic 
measurements. While the Ceylonese form shows a stipe 400 to 500 A 
in length, that of the Minnesota form is from 700 to Joo». The 
diameter of the head in Actinoceps thwaitesii is 140 to 160 p, while 
that of the Minnesota form is much larger, measuring from 360 to 400 
p. Additional measurements of the stalk showed its average diameter 
to be between 45 and 55 4. From this it is apparent that the Minne- 
sota specimens should be separated from the pad eg species, and a 
description of the American form is appended. 
Actinoceps besseyi n. s. Stalk 400 to 700 p long, 45 to 55 in diame- 
ter, cylindrical, smooth, hyaline, compacted; head sub-globose, 
pale glaucescent, armed loosely with projecting spicules, 360 to 420 # 
in diameter ; spore-bearing hyphz repeatedly branched, sub-flexuose, 4 
