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brown, witb scattered, hroad, irregularly-shaped raised hands of
various lengths, 8—11 g diameter.
Diachaea splendens. Peck, 30tb Report, State Mus. Nat. Hist.,
p. 50; Saco., Syll, 1336.
On leaves^ &c. United States.
For specimens of tbe present very distinct and beautiful
species, 1 am indebted to Mr. Harold Wingate, of Philadelphia.
Gregarious, about 1'5 mm. high, evidently allied to Diachaea
leucopoda, but abundantly distinct in the spore marking, and
the short reniform sporangia and columella.
Diachaea suhsessilis. Peck.
Gregarious or crowded ; sporangia subglobose, sessile, or with
a very short white stem, the walls delicate, iridescent with
various metallic tin ts ; columella obsolete; capillitium and mass
of spores violet-brown; spores globose, rough, ’0004'—'0005 in
diameter ( = about 12'5 g ).
Diachaea suhsessilis. Peck, 31st Report, State Mus., p. 41.
Fallen leaves. Adirondack Mountains, U. States.
This is a most singular species, and apparently very rare.
In its lack of a distinct columella, it departs from the generic
character, but it cannot be placed in tbe genus Lamproderma,
for tbe same objection would hold there, and besides that,
another is found in tbe presence of lime granules in tbe stem.
Even wben no distinct stem is present, a small whitish mass
of granules can generally be seen at the point of attachment.
The capillitium appears to originate at the base of the sporangium.
The spores are larger, but less rough than those of
D. splendens. (Peck.)
1 have had no opportunity of examining the present species,
hence can add nothing to the vague description of the epispore.
Subord. P hysarae.
Craterium, Trent.
Sporangia usually distinct and stipitate, wall consisting of two
or three distinct layers, dehiscing by a sharply-differentiated
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apical lid, or by an irregularlj' circumscissile separation of the
undifferentiated apical portion of the sporangium, basal portion
of sporangium persistent after dehiscence; capillitium of stout
threads attached at numerous points to tbe sporangial wall,
combined to form an irregular, rigid network, containing a large
quantity of lime which is usually localized in swollen, irregular,
often more or less flattened portions; these towards the base
of the sporangium are compacted to form an irregular columella.
Craterium, Trent., Obs. B o t; Rost., Mon., p. 118; Cke., Myx.
Brit, p. 18; Zopf, p. 146; Sacc., Syll, vii., 1, p. 356.
The species of Craterinm are more or less gregarious in habit,
but rarely crowded, although now and again specimens occur
with tbe sporangia more or less confluent, the stems remaining
distinct. The sporangia persist for a long time after dehiscence,
owing to tbe rigidity of the wall and capillitium, and in this
stage resemble in shape miniature wine-glasses. Craterium is
closely allied to Badhamia, differing more especially in tbe
double wall and the presence of a columella, and the oircum-
scissile dehiscence.
Distrib. Europe; Algeria; Natal; Ceylon; Tasmania; Brazil;
United States. Species 13.
A. Dehiscence by the sepai-ation of a distinct lid at apex of
sporangium.
Craterium confusum, Mass, (fig. 289).
Sporangia variable in form, oyathiform, infundibuliform, or
pyriform, stipitate or rarely subsessile, varying in colour from
bright brown, through ochraceous to nearly white, lid sharply
differentiated from wall of spm-angium, flat or slightly convex,
usually ehalhy-white, rarely oohraceous, deciduous; stem variable
in length and depth of colour; capillitium abundant, knots of
lime large, irregular, white or yellowish, usually by aggregation
forming a more or less distinct columella; spores globose, dirty
violet, very minutely verruculose, 8—11 g diameter.
Craterium vulgare, Rost., Mon., p. 118, figs. 94,'96; Cke.,
Brit. Myx., p. 18, figs. 94, 96.
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