etc., the capillitium flexuous and more richly anastomosing near the
columella. On the drier slopes in the mountains of Colorado specimens
are especially abundant, in proper season covering apparently the lower
surface of every barkless twig or fallen stem or _tree entire_! In such
a field one might imagine every possible variation open to observation.
Probably such is the case; but as a matter of fact a single small
plasmodium at lower levels will sometimes show greater range of
variation than were noted on the mountain-side. The cylindric forms were
for some reason few, and when noted were short, though often surmounting
stems of double the usual length.

Rostafinski calls this _C. friesiana_, a name suggested by De Bary. By
this name the species was commonly known for many years. More recently
some writers prefer _C. obtusata_ Preuss; but _C. obtusata_ Preuss, as
figured by that author (Sturm's _Deutsch. Fl._, Pl. 70), is surely more
likely _Enerthenema papillata_, and the author says in his description
"capillitio vertice soli innato." Persoon certainly recognized the
species, and his description, though brief, is yet applicable to no
other European species. There seems no reason why the name he gave
should not be permanently adopted. Rostafinski's figure, Tab. XIII.,
shows an ellipsoidal sporangium, not cylindric.

On the lower levels of the Mississippi valley, the species is not
common. Possibly overlooked by reason of its minuteness.

Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, North Carolina,
Missouri.

9. COMATRICHA AEQUALIS _Peck._

PLATE VI., Figs. 3, 3 _a_, 3 _b_, 3 _c_, 3 _d_; and PLATE XVIII., Figs.
13, 13 _a_, 13 _b_.

1890. _Comatricha equalis_ Peck., _Rep. N. Y. Mus._, XXXI., p. 42.

Sporangia gregarious, seldom erect, usually inclined, curved or nodding,
dark brown, becoming violet, cylindric, acuminate-obtuse, stipitate;
stipe about half the total height, 2-2-1/2 mm., black, polished, even;
hypothallus well developed, brown, continuous; columella black, tapering
gradually, and attaining almost the summit of the sporangium;
capillitium dense, of flexuous tawny threads which, by repeated
branching, form an intricate network, the free extremities numerous,
short, and pale; spores dark violaceous, distinctly warted, 7.5-8 mu.

A very graceful, elegant species, related to _C. pulchella_ and _C.
persoonii_, but distinct by its much greater size and smaller spores.
The specimens before