1C4 
ENDOSPOREiE. 
[trichia. 
with four to five spiral bands 1 fx broad, the intervals 1 to 2 /x, 
crossed by slender ridges running parallel with the length of 
the elater and connecting the bands ; the ends of elaters conical, 
terminating in a smooth point 3 to 8 long. Spores yellow, 
the wall reticulated with narrow, deep bands forming a net with 
three to five meshes to the hemisphere; 13 to 15 fx diam., includ- 
ing the border of 1-6 to 2 yu, width, which represents the depth of 
the band.— Schum., En. PI. Saell., ii., p. 207 (1803). Lycop&rdon 
favogineum Batsch, Elench. Fung. Cent., p. 257 (1786). Stemonitis 
favoginea Gmel., Syst. Nat., ii., p. 1470 (1791). Trichia nitens 
Pers., Obs. Myc, i., p. 62 (1796). Sphcerocarpus chrysospermvs 
Bull, Champ., t. 417, f. 4 (1791). Trichia chrysosperma DC, Syn, 
PI. Gall., p. 52 (1806) ; Eost., Mon., p. 255 ; Cooke, Myx. Brit., 
p. 64, figs. 213, 240; Blytt, Bidr. K. Norg., Sop. iii., p. 12; Macbride, 
in Bull. Nat. Hist. Iowa, ii., p. 130; Mass., Mon., p. 189. 
Plate LX., A. — a. sporangia, x 20 ; J. elater, x 600 ; c. spore, x 600 
(Freiburg, Germany). 
The species of Trichia with reticulated spores are separated from 
each other by somewhat arbitrary lines, owing to the inconstancy of 
the distinctive characters. The descriptions under the several names 
are here given from the type specimens in the Strassb. Herb. ; they 
represent well marked centres, but in this abundant and widespread 
genus forms are of frequent occurrence which take an intermediate 
position. The character of longitudinal striae connecting the bands 
on the elaters is met with to a greater or less extent in each member 
of the group. In extensive gatherings on old pine stumps in the 
Black Forest, the elaters are nearly regular in breadth, usually 8 
/X diam., but some measure 7 and some 6'5 fi ; the connecting striae 
are almost always but not invariably distinct ; the spores have mostly 
unbroken bands without pits, and show a border 2 ^ diam. ; in some 
parts of several gatherings the bands are broader, broken and pitted, 
and the border reduced to a slight thickening of the spore-wall : but 
in all these specimens a considerable part retains the character of 
T. favoginea in the narrow and even bands on the spores and broad 
elaters. American gatherings show similar variation ; sometimes with 
spores having regular reticulation and narrow bands, the elaters are 
only G n diam. Between T. affinis and T. j^ersitnilis, and between 
T. persimilis and T. scabra, intermediate forms frequently occur where 
it is often difficult to decide under which head to place them. The 
length and markings of the elaters is also a varying character. A 
gathering of Hemitrichia clirysospora List, has been found at Lyme 
Regis of the Trichia form with free elaters ; T. scahra has occurred 
with the capillitium consisting of a dense network of the extreme 
Hemitrichia type, with no free elaters ; T. affinis and T. scabra, when 
exposed to severe changes of temperature, at the time of their fruiting, 
have developed elaters with the spirals to a great degree modified into 
complete rings, approaching the markings on the elaters of Cornuvia 
Ser2)ula ; and T. persimilis under similar conditions has produced very 
short elaters with broad rings and faint spirals with much the same 
character as OUgonema nitens. With such blending of form, which 
indicates a relationship between all these species, the characters given 
in the key must be taken as approximate, and mark the main centres 
around which the numerous varieties group themselves. 
