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80 A Afonograph o f the Alyxogastres.
mm. long, 0'7—0’6 mm. thick; smooth when moist, rugulose
when dry, suh-contorted, extended into the sporangium as a
columella, not reaching to the apex; sporangium cylindrical,
rarely sub-clavate, rounded at both ends, 0'8—1'2 mm. long,
O'® 0'2 mm. thick, black, opaque, wall persistent fo r a long
time; capillitium springing from the columella, forming a
rather dense network, the superficial meshes equal to or twice the
diameter of the spores, with uncinate free tips; spores globose
or sub-elliptical, 5—8 g diameter, perfectly smooth, smoky brown.
Stemonitis fluminensis, Speg., Fung. Arg., N. 261; Saoc. Syll
vii,, 1, n. 1366.
On bark, moss, &c. Brazil
. Stemonitis suhcaespitosa, Mass.
Stems subcaespitose or loosely clustered, thickened at the
base, about half the length of the sporangia, extending through
the capillitium as a columella; peridia ovate-oblong, obtuse,
fugacious; capillitium growing from the columella, reticulately
connected and also forming a superficial net with coarse meshes,
blackish; spores globose, even, (smooth?), blackish-brown,
■0004—’00045 in. in diameter.
Gomatricha subcaespitosa. Peck, 43rd Report, New York State,
Mus. Nat. Hist. (1890), p. 25, PI. iii., figs. 6—9.
Decorticated wood of hemlock. Tsuga Canadensis. Sandlake.
July.
This species resembles Stemonitis fusca in colour. In size
it approaches Gomatricha typhina. Its capillitium is variously
connected, and appears to combine the reticulation of Gomatricha
and Stemonitis, but on account of the network not being wholly
parallel to the walls of the peridium, it is placed in Gomatricha.
The plants are mostly connected in small groups or loose
clusters of two to ten individuals. Its coarser meshes and
larger spores distinguish it from Gomatricha typhina. (Peck, 1. c.).
Stemonitis aequalis, Mass.
Gregarious or loosely clustered, about three lines high, arising
from a thin hypothallus; sporangia cylindrical, obtuse, fugacious,
Stemonitis. 81
wholly falling away; capillitium brown or blackish-brown,
forming an intricate network; stem slender, smooth, black,
penetrating the capillitium as a columella, and extending nearly
or quite to the apex, the free portion about equal in length
to one-half the altitude of the entire plant; spores globose,
smooth, violet-black, -0003'—'00035' in diameter ( = about
8—9 g).
Gomatricha aequalis. Peck, 31st Report of State Mus., N. Y.,
p. 42; Sacc., Syll., n. 1360.
Decaying wood. Catskill Mountains. Sept.
In colour this species is almost exactly like Stemonitis fusea,
from which its more lax habit, proportionally longer stem and
different capillitium separate it. The larger size, both of the
plant itself and of the spores, will separate it from Gomatricha
typhina. The length of the stem and of the capillitium are
nearly equal, hence the specific name. (Peck.)
Stemonitis tenerrima, B. and C.
Gregarious; sporangia cylindrical, base and apex very obtuse,
wall thin, blackish-purple, iridescent, evanescent; stem about
equal in length to sporangium, filiform, blackish, sub-equal;
columella reaching nearly or quite to apex of sporangium;
primary branches short, breaking up into a network, the meshes
becoming smaller towards the periphery wlure they equal the
spm-es in diameter, the threads taper towards the periphery;
spores in the mass black with violet tinge, globose, smooth,
13—14 g diameter.
Stem-onitis tenerrima, Berk, and Curt., Grev., vol. ii., p. 69.
(Type in Herb. Berk., Kew, n. 10831.)
On wood. Lower Carolina.
Distinguished by the small size 3'3—4 mm., cylindrical
sporangium, and the large, smooth spores.
Whether the present species is identical with “Stemonitis
tenerrima Curtis in Sill., Journ., 1. c,, p. 349 (1848),” as quoted
by Rostafinski, Mon., Append., p. 27, I have no means of
determining.