JOURNAL OF MYCOLOGY. 
Vol. n. MANHATTAN, KANSAS, AUGUST, 1886. No. 8. 
THE BANDED-SPORE TRICHIAS. 
BY GKO. A. BEX, M. D , PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
Of tlie three Tricliias, Tv. clirysospernia, JMilL, Tr. affmis^ De By., 
and Tr. Jackii, Kostfki., cimracterized by reticulated or banded spores, 
tlie first is the only one as yet recorded as an American species. While 
it is undoubtedly our common form, plants answering the descriptions 
of the other two species, except in one important particular, are not rare. 
Tlie chief points of specific difference between these three species are 
found in the markings of the spores and elaters, or threads, and may be 
summarized from the description of Rostafinski as follows : 
“ The spores of all are globose and provided with external ridges or 
thickened bands of varying shape raised upon the surface of the spores.” 
In Tricliia c/irysosperma, these ridges are uniform in width, forming 
a netw'ork of polygonal meshes, each ridge being of greater height than 
width. In Tr. affinis and Tr. Jacldi, the ridges are of greater width 
than height, and are fitted with cylindrical, well-like openings perpen¬ 
dicular to the surface of the spore, which pits are characteristic of these 
tw'o species only. The spore bands of Tr. affinis are not uniform in 
width and form a network of irregular meshes provided with a single 
row^ of pits in the median line of the bands. The spore bands of Tr. 
Jackii either branch irregularly, or form an irregular net, or appear as 
an irregular spot with a wavy outline, all, however, sometimes in the 
same spore. These bands are sufficiently wide to give space for a clump, 
or two or more rows of pits. Again, the elaters of Tr. chrysosperma are 
usually 8.3 mic. m. wide, exceptionally only five mic. m., with from 3—5 
spirals, and, connecting each two adjoining spirals, there are thin ridges 
or veins, parallel to the axis of the elater, as long only as the interspiral 
spaces. The elaters of Tr. affinis are non-spinulose, 4.15 mic. m. wide, 
with from 3—5 spirals, and the interspiral ridges are wanting. The 
elaters of Tr. Jackii are 4.5 mic. m. wide, with from 3—4 spirals, which 
are studded with sharp spines sometimes 2 mic. m. in length. The 
interspaces betw^een the spirals are wider and the interspiral ridges are 
also wanting. In the summary, only the microscopical features are 
given. 
