ill rare instances a swollen portion 15—20 g long, and 8— 12 g
thick is present near the middle of an elater, but there is no
indication of the narrow, ring-like thickenings as in 0. nitens.
From 7—9 complete polygons present on a hemisphere of a
spore.
* * Epispiore warted.
Oligonema Broomei, Mass. (figs. 185, 186).
Sporangia scattered or in small groups, adnate by a broad
base, hemispherioo-depressed, circular or irregularly elongated,
wall smooth, dark hrown, d u ll; mass of capillitinm and spores
reddish-ochre; elaters cylindrical, .3—4 g thick, irregularly
Iranchcd, dull-orange, furnished with narrow, ring-like thickenings,
at regular distances, tips obtuse; spores rather coarsely
■warted, dull orange or yellowish, globose, 13—14 g diameter.
Oligonema Broomei, Mass., Eev. Trich., Journ. Hoy. Micr.
Soc., 1889, p. 345, pi. vii., f. 22.
(Type in Herb., Broome in Brit. Mus., marked “Trichia
serpula” (?),)
On bark. Britain (Waideigh, Somerset).
The present species is most nearly allied to 0. aencum, Karst.,
which has up to the present been only met with in Finland,
and is distinguished by the crowded habit, polished sporangia
with metallic tints, and smaller spores.
When circular the sporangia vary from ’5—1 mm., and when
elongated 2—3 mm. long.
Oligonema aeneum, Karst.
Sporangia densely croiodcd, often confluent and venulose. rarely
scattered, orbicular or angular from mutual pressure, depressed,
shining, with copper, green, or olive metallic tints ; threads of the
capillitium free, 2—3 g thick, with scattered thickenings in the
form of circles; spores globose, warted, rather ferruginous or
pale reddish-ochre, 12 g diameter.
Oligonema aencum, Karsten, Myc. Fenn., iv., p. 125; Saco.,
Syll., n. 1487; Mass., Rev. Trich., p. 346.
Finland.
Oligonema. 173
Oligonema furcatnm, Bucknall.
Sporangia scattered, globose, shining, bright chrome-yellow, as
well as the capillitmm and spores; elaters cylindrical, simple
or branched, slightly thickened at the obtuse ends, with a faint
open spiral, 8—4 g diameter; spores globose, minutely warted,
1 1— 12 g diameter.
Oligonema furcatum, Bucknall in litt.
On a rotting trunk. Britain (Ahbotts Leigh).
Superficially closely resembling Oligonema nitens, from which
however it is quite distinct in the minutely warted spores, and
the absence of thickened rings on the usually furcate elaters.
Oligonema brevifilnm. Peck.
Sporangia crowded in effused heaps, bright ochraceous yellow;
elaters few, short, cylindrical or subfusiform; spores globose,
rugose, 11 jr diameter.
Oligonema nitens, Peck, in 31st Report of State Agrio. Mus.,
p. 42; Sacc., Syll, n. 1489; Mass., Rev. Trich., p. 346.
On mosses. United States.
Mr. Wingate of Philadelphia thinks that the present species
will prove to he an abnormal condition of 0. flctvida.
Trichia, Haller (emended).
Wall of sporangium single, dehiscing irregularly; capillitium
consisting of free, simple or branched threads, having the wall
furnished with raised bands arranged in a spiral manner; spores
globose, epispore smooth, or variously ornamented.
Trichia, Haller, Helv., iii., p. 114; Rost., Mon., p. 243; Cooke,
Myx. Brit., p. 61 (in p a rt); Sacc., Syll., vol. vii., pt. I., p. 438
(in p a rt); Mass., Mon. Trich., p. 328.
The genus is readily distinguished by the presence of well-
developed external ridges arranged in a spiral manner on the
perfectly free elaters or threads of the capillitmm. The elaters
are in most species unbranched, cylindrical or fusiform, and
more or less attenuated at the tips. In a few species the