28 
OHIO BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
Var. 2~flaccida (Morgan) Lister. Sporangia weak, adhering to 
each other. Capillitium lax, scarcely forming a surface net. 
Not rare. 
3. S. herbatica Peck. Sporangia in large dense clusters, cylindrical, 
6 to 9mm. high, stalked. Stalk short, arising from a membranous 
hypothallus. Capillitium of dark brown threads forming a surface net 
with rounded meshes 10 to 20mmm. in diam. Spores gray, minutely rough¬ 
ened, 6 to 8mmm. in diam. 
Erie Co. Summit Co. 
♦ 
4. S. pallida Wingate. Sporangia scattered or in small groups, 
cylindrical, obtuse, short, 5 to 6mm. high, dark brown, stalked. Stalk short. 
Capillitium of dark brown threads forming a surface net with irregular 
meshes. Spores gray, minutely roughened, 6 to 8mmm. in diam. 
Not rare. 
5. S. ferruginea Ehrenb. Sporangia in dense clusters, cylindrical, 8 to 
20mm, high, light brown, stalked. Stalk black, one-third of total height, 
arising from a well developed hypothallus. Columella not reaching the 
apex of the sporangium. Capillitium of brown branching threads which 
unite to form a delicate surface net with rounded meshes 5 to lOmmm. in 
diam. Spores pale ferruginous 4 to 6mmm. in diam. 
Occasional. 
6. S smithii Macbr. This species differs from S. ferruginea of which 
Lister considers it a variety, in its smaller size, 3 to 6mm. high, and in the 
more delicate threads of the surface net. 
Occasional. 
2. COMATICHIA Preuss. 
Comatrichia irregularis Rex. Plate V, Fig. 2 and 2b. 
Sporangia cylindrical or globose, stalked, scattered, sometimes clustered. 
Sporangium wall evanescent. Stalk black, solid, extending into the 
sporangium to beyond the middle as a columella. The columella sends 
out branches from its entire length, which form a branching and 
anastomosing capillitium. No surface net is formed, the ends of the 
branches being free. 
A. 
A. 
Sporangia long, drooping, clustered. 
1. C. longa 
Sporangia shorter, erect, generally scattered. 
B. Sporangia dark. 
C. Spores smooth. 
D. Capillitium dense. 
2. C. nigra 
D. Capillitium lax. 
3. C. laxa 
C. Spores spinulose. 
4. C. irregularis 
B. Sporangia reddish brown. 
E. Sporangia very small, ovoid. Cylindrical in 
var. gracilis. 
E. Sporangia larger, cylindrical. 
5. C. pulchella 
6. C. typhoides 
