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from the earliest condition. In Lamproderma violaceum the
columella is filled with large spherical, or from mutual pressure,
polyhedral cells, a character repeated in the stem of several
species of Arcyria. The three genera Amaurochaete, Brefeldia,
and Beticularia are only known in the aethalioid condition, and
superficially appear quite isolated from the remaining genera,
but structurally are nothing more than confluent forms of such
genera as Stemonitis and Lamprodemna. Comatricha confluens
is a connecting link between the two extremes. According to
the preconceived idea that the presence of a columella is of
sectional importance, the genus Svphoptychium belongs to the
present division, nevertheless its affinity with the Peritrieheae
is obvious.
The following arrangement indicates the affinities of the
genera included in the Golumclliferae, and the points of contact
with other sections.
S t em o n it is . --------------A ncyrophorus. -
B r e f e l d ia .--------------Eostafinskia.
A m a u r o c h a e t e .
E e t ic u l a e ia .
Siphoptychium.
- E n e r t h e n e m a .
I L a m p r o d e r m a . -
Echinosielium.
I Orthotricha.
Racihorskia,
( T u b u l i x a . >
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ANALYSIS OF THE GENERA.
Sub-sect. Stemonitae.
A. Sporangia free.
Stemonitis. Capillitium threads springing from all sides
of an elongated columella.
B. Sporangia forming an aethalium.
Siphoptychium. Sporangia straight, parallel, each containing
a central columella.
Amaukochaete. a large, pulvinate aethalium, bifurcating
branches of capillitium connected for some distance by a thin
membrane.
B refeldia. Aethalium large, threads of capillitium with
clusters of vesicular bodies.
Bostafinshia. Threads of lower portion of capillitium septate.
R eticulaeia, Aethalium pulvinate; capillitium threads
forming an irregular network without vesicles or flat membranous
expansions.
Sub-sect. Lamprodermae.
E nerthenema. Threads of capillitium springing from a
flattened disc at the apex of the columella.
Ancyrophorus. Threads of capillitium springing from a
flattened disc at the apex of the columella, and also from the
columella throughout its length.
Lamproderma. Threads of capillitium springing from the
abrupt apex of the short columella.
Echinostelimn. Columella absent; capillitium springing from
apex of stem.
BaciborsJeia. Wall of sporangium absent, main branches of
capillitium springing from apex of a short columella, becoming
branched, branches forming a network.
Orthotricha. Sporangial wall absent from the first.
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