pillitium in which are
entangled the myriad spores. Each filament bears at its middle point (or
is it the meeting point of two?) a peculiar plexus which embraces
several large cysts or vesicles whose function or further homology does
not readily appear.

From the base of the fructification rise also ascending branches which
are black, terete, and not infrequently branched as if to form the
capillitium of a stemonitis. These ascending branches are in many cases,
probably in all, real, though as yet imperfectly developed, columellae.
They rise, at least in many cases, directly from the hypothallus, each
is central to an individual sporangium, rises to about two-thirds its
height, but never attains the summit. The sporangia are so crowded that
many are choked off below, never reach the top of the aethalium. In such
cases the columella may cease at the sporangium-top. The columella bears
cystiferous threads sparingly, if at all; nevertheless these abound in
the peripheral portions of the sporangium all the way up, and are
especially noticeable beyond the level of the top of the columella. Many
are so arranged that the plexus with its vesicles occupies a place in
the plane separating adjacent sporangia, suggesting the possibility that
we have here to do with an imperfectly developed surface-net and
peridium. In this view the cysts would represent the meeting-point of
two opposite radial capillitial threads rather than the middle of one.
This accords with Rostafinski's observations and drawings. The cysts,
then, belong morphologically to the peridium or sporangium wall. It is a
stemonitis whose sporangia have never been perfectly differentiated, a
case of arrested development. See further under _Stemonitis confluens_.

Rostafinski really offers the first definitive description. Fries
probably distinguished it, but his description would not indicate the
fact except for the added note wherein appears the reason for discarding
an apparently older name, viz., that given by Link. But neither Link nor
Sowerby distinguished by description or figure _Brefeldia_ from
_Amaurochaete_.

Throughout the northern forest; Maine to Vancouver Island: not common.

=2. Stemonitis= (_Gleditsch_) _Rost._

1753. _Stemonitis_ Gleditsch, in part, _Meth. Fung._, p. 140.
1873. _Stemonitis_ (Gleditsch) Rost., _Versuch_, p. 7.

Sporangia distinct, though often closely aggregate, cylindric,
stipitate; columella prominent; capillitium well deve