122 
^:NDosPollEy^2. 
[COMATUICIIA 
from Freiburg, in the Strassburg collection, is not well developed, as 
shown by the abundance of immature spores ; but the capillitium is 
that of C. typhoides, and the spores have the characteristic scattered 
warts. Stemonitis atra Mass., from New Zealand (K. 727), has spores 
6 to 8 /i diam., and appears to be the usual form of C. typhoides. 
S. Carlylei Mass. (Herb. Massee) is also C. typhoides, a. genuinci, with 
almost colourless spores 6 to 7 /a diam., marked with the scattered 
warts. Stemonitis Virginiensis Rex, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil. (1891), 
p. 391 (L:B.M.91)is represented by a single extensive gathering in the 
Alleghany Mountains, Virginia. The minute sporangia, 3"5 mm. in 
total height, are clustered but not fasciculated ; the capillitium is an 
intricate network of delicate threads with an indefinite superficial net 
and numerous free ends ; the spores measure about 6 yx diam., and 
show a distinct reticulation when magnified 1,200 diam. The more 
clearly reticulated spores appear to afford the only distinctive cha- 
racter separating it from C. typhoides var. heterospora ; a high magnifying 
power shows the dark scattered warts before referred to. 
Hub. On dead wood. Common.— a. Leytonstone, Essex (L:B.M.91) ; 
y. Lyme Regis, Dorset (L:B.M.91) ; France (Paris Herb.) ; a. Germany 
(Strassb. Herb., B. M. G29) ; a. Poland (Strassb. Herb.) ; a. Italy 
(B. M. 628) ; a. India (K. 1580) ; a. New Zealand (K. 727) ; a. and /3. 
Philadelphia (L:B.M.91) ; Iowa (L:B.M.91); a. S. Carolina (B. M. 
633). 
6. C. Persoonii Host., Men., p. 201 (1875). Plasmodium watery- 
white, among dead leaves. Total height 0-7 to 2 mm. Sporangia 
ovoid or cylindrical, stipitate, scattered, lilac- or rufous-brown; 
sporangium-wall evanescent. Stalk black, 0-2 mm. high or more, 
rising from a cii-cular, membranous hypothallus. Columella 
reaching nearly to the apex of the sporangium. Capillitium 
a network of flexuose, anastomosing, brown threads springing 
from all parts of the columella, looped at the surface, with few 
free ends. Spores pale lilac-brown or flesh-coloui-ed, minutely 
warted, 6 to 8 /a diam. — Stemonitis pukhella Church. Bab., in Proc. 
Linn. Soc, 1839, p. 32 ; Berk, in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 1, vi., 
p. 431, PI. 12, f. 11; Mass., Men., p. 86. Comatricha pulchella 
E,ost., Mon., App., p. 27; Cooke, Myx. Brit., p. 49; Macbride in 
B\ill. Nat. Hist. Iowa, ii., p. 139. Stemonitis teneirima Curt, 
in Sill. Journ., vi., p. 352 ; Berk. & Curt., in Grev., ii., p. 69. . 
a. genuina: sporangia shortly cylindrical, 0-7 to 1 mm. high, 
on short stalks ; spores pale brown with a lilac tinge. 
(3. tenerrima: sporangia narrowly ovoid, 0-4 to 0-7 mm. high, 
on stalks of the same length, capillitium threads very delicate ; 
spores flesh-coloured. Stemonitis tenerrima Curtis I.e. 
Plate XLVL, V,.—d. sporangia, a. gc.imina, x 3^ ; e. capillitium, x 180 ; 
/. spore, X (100; (/. fi\wya.\\gm, fi. tenerrima, x 3.J ; //. capillitium, x 180 ; 
i. spore, x GOO (England). 
The description of S. tenerrima Mass., Mon., p. 81, with spores black 
in mass, 13 to 14 /x diam., can only be accounted for by some confusion 
of specimens, as it agrees neither with Berkeley's type (K. 1588), nor 
with his description in Grevillea. 
