Part 64 (1/2)

1891. _Hemiarcyria obscura_ Rex, _Proc. Phil. Acad._, p. 395.

1894. _Hemitrichia karstenii_ Lister, _Mycetozoa_, p. 178.

Fructification plasmodiocarpous, with a tendency to form distinct sessile, globose sporangia, color brownish red; capillitium a sparingly branched network, with free ends few, the thread marked by seven or eight faint spirals, the inters.p.a.ces narrow, dull red in color, and 2.5 in diameter; spores yellow, delicately warted, 10-10.5 .

This is doubtless a very rare species. In the description we have followed Dr. Rex, _l. c._, as being more to the point for American forms. It is not improbable that the American material may after all be distinct, as discrepancies, if one may judge by descriptions, are not few. Lister, who had a slide from Dr. Rex, considers the European and American forms the same.

In outward appearing, plasmodiocarpous phases of this species very closely resemble forms of _Licea_ or _Ophiotheca_, and are in consequence often wrongly labeled.

Toronto; Montana--_Anderson_. To be looked for north and west.

3. HEMITRICHIA OVATA (_Pers._) _Macbr._

1796. _Trichia ovata_ Pers., _Obs. Myc._, I., p. 61, and II., p. 35.

1863. _Trichia abietina_ Wigand, _Pringsh. Jahr._, III., p. 33, Tab. ii., Fig. 11.

1875. _Hemiarcyria wigandii_ Rost., _Mon._, p. 167.

Sporangia crowded or sometimes closely gregarious, sub-globose or turbinate, s.h.i.+ning yellow, sessile, the peridium thin, iridescent; capillitium a tangle of sparingly branched yellow or ochraceous-yellow threads, rather slender, 3-5 , marked by one or two prominent spiral bands forming a loose somewhat irregular spiral, the free ends not infrequent, inflated and rounded; spore-ma.s.s yellow or yellow-ochraceous, spores by transmitted light pale yellow, distinctly and sharply spinulose, but not netted, 10-11 .

A rare and beautiful species, distinguished well by the small size, about .5 mm., by the thin iridescent peridium, as by the microscopic characters of the capillitial threads.

There is no doubt that this is Persoon's _Trichia ovata_. His description is accurate in all that pertains to external features, and Rostafinski, _App._, p. 41, explicitly says that he _saw_ in Persoon's herbarium specimens of the species bearing the name cited. Just why Rostafinski did not here adopt the older name is not clear, nor is there excuse for abandoning Wigand's name were Persoon's invalid. According to Lister, _Trichia nana_ Ma.s.s., from Maine, is the same thing. Persoon, _l. c._, gives a synonymy which, in the nature of case, is unverifiable, the specific characters being microscopic.

Fries, _Syst. Myc._, III., p. 187, confirms Persoon and takes pains to say that the color separates it from _T. chrysosperma_ with which it is sometimes compared.

Rare. Maine, Ma.s.sachusetts, New York, Ohio, Toronto.

4. HEMITRICHIA VESPARIUM (_Batsch_) _Macbr._

PLATE III., Figs. 2 and 2 _a_.

1786. _Lycoperdon vesparium_ Batsch, _Elench. Fung._, pp. 255, 256, Fig. 172.

1794. _Trichia rubiformis_ Pers., _Rom. N. Bot. Mag._, I., p. 88.

1875. _Hemiarcyria rubiformis_ (Pers.) _Rost., Mon._, p. 262.

Sporangia cl.u.s.tered or crowded, rarely single, clavate or subcylindric stipitate or sessile, dark wine-red or red-black in color, the peridium in perfect specimens glossy or s.h.i.+ning metallic, opaque; stipes solid, usually blent together, concolorous; capillitium of intertwisted slender threads, sparingly branched, marked by three or four spiral ridges, abundantly spinulose, the free tips also ac.u.minate, terminating in a spine, the whole ma.s.s dull red. Spore-ma.s.s brownish-red, spores by transmitted light reddish-orange, very distinctly warted, sub-globose, 10-12 .

A most common species, on rotten wood everywhere, especially in forests.

Recognized generally at sight by its color and fasciculate habit. The peridium shows a tendency, often, to circ.u.mscissile dehiscence, and persists long after the contents have been dissipated, in this condition suggesting the name applied by Batsch, _vesparium_, wasp-nest. The capillitium is remarkably spinescent, the branching of the threads, rare. Rostafinski describes the spores as smooth; they seem to be uniformly distinctly warted. The plasmodium is deep red, and a plasmodiocarpous fructification occasionally appears.

Throughout the whole range, New England to Was.h.i.+ngton and Oregon, south to Nicaragua; Toronto.

5. HEMITRICHIA STIPATA (_Schw._) _Macbr._

PLATE I., Figs. 8, 8 _a_, 8 _b_.

1834. _Leangium stipatum_ Schw., _N. A. F._, p. 258, No. 2304.

1876. _Hemiarcyria stipata_ (Schw.) _Rost., Mon. App._, pp. 41, 42.

1894. _Arcyria stipata_ (Schw.) Lister, _Mon. Mycetozoa_, p. 189.