iridescent; hypothallus strongly
developed, spongiose, white, often projecting beyond the aethalioid mass
of sporangia; spore-mass umber-brown or ferruginous; spores by
transmitted light almost colorless, plainly reticulate over
three-fourths of the surface, 6-7 mu.

Not rare on old logs, mosses, etc., from Maine to Alaska. Apparently
more common north than south. Easily known by its long, tubular
sporangia packed with rusty spores and destitute of any trace of
columella or capillitium, the hypothallus explanate, rather thick, but
not columnar. A single plasmodium may give rise to one or several
colonies, at first watery or white, then red, of somewhat varying
shades, then finally umber-brown. These colors were noticed by all the
older authors, but very inaccurately; thus a white plasmodium is the
basis for _Tubifera cylindrica_ (Bull.) Gmel., a roseate plasmodium for
_Tubifera fragiformis_ (Bull.) Gmel., and the mature fructification for
_Tubifera ferruginosa_ (Batsch) Gmel. Rostafinski adopted a specific
name given by Bulliard, but Batsch has clear priority.

The peridia are sometimes accuminate, and widely separate above. This is
Persoon's _T. fragiformis_. In most cases, however, the peridia are
connate throughout, and sometimes present above a membranous common
covering. This is _T. fallax_ of Persoon; _Licea cylindrica_ (Bull.)
Fries. In forms with thicker peridia, the walls often show the granular
markings characteristic of the entire _Anemeae_.

2. TUBIFERA STIPITATA (_Berk. & Rav._) _Macbr._

1858. _Licea stipitata_ Berk. & Rav., _Am. Acad._, IV., p. 125.[39]
1868. _Licea stipitata_ Berk. & Rav., _Jour. Linn. Soc._, X., p. 350.
1875. _Tubulina stipitata_ (Berk. & Rav.) Rost., p. 223.

Sporangia crowded in a globose or more or less hemispheric, expanded
head, borne upon a spongy, stem-like, sulcate hypothallus 3-4 mm. high,
their apices rounded, their walls very thin, evanescent; spores in mass
umber-brown, small, about 5 mu, the epispore reticulate as in the
preceding species.

This differs from number 1 chiefly in the cushion-like receptacle on
which the crowded sporangia are borne, and in the smaller spores. The
species originates in a plasmodium at first colorless, then white,
followed by salmon or buff tints, which pass gradually into the dark
brown of maturity. This peculiar succession of colors is perhaps more
diagnostic than the difference in habit. The spores are, however,
constantly sm