ous_ habit, not crowded nor superimposed,
small size, and dusky color. The little spheres occur a dozen or more in
a place, dark lead-colored, shading to black, opening rather regularly
at the top. It looks like a depauperate _L. epidendrum_, but seems to be
constantly collected.

Our specimens are from Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, Canada.

4. LYCOGALA CONICUM _Pers._

1801. _Lycogala conica_ Pers., _Syn. Fung._, p. 159.
1875. _Dermodium conicum_ (Pers.) Rost., _Mon._, p. 284.

Aethalia scattered, sometimes two or three together, small 2-4 mm. high,
conical, sessile, pallid, grayish brown, marked by obscure black
reticulations, opening regularly at the somewhat acuminate tip; peridium
thin in structure, as in _L. epidendrum_, but more delicate; capillitium
made up of abundant, slender, uniform threads almost smooth, simple, the
free ends obtuse, taking origin in the cortex much as in the preceding
species; spores in mass ochraceous, by transmitted light colorless,
minutely warted or faintly reticulate, about 5 mu.

A very distinct and rare little species. Well described by Persoon, who
also appears to have observed the plasmodium "_primo rubra_." The color
of the mature form varies with age; at first somewhat purplish. Dr. Rex
collected it in Pennsylvania; Mr. Morgan has it from Ohio; our specimens
are from southeastern Missouri.

ORDER V

=TRICHIALES=

Fructification sporangial, rarely plasmodiocarpous, the sporangia
stalked or sessile, gregarious or closely crowded, limeless throughout;
the capillitium of definite threads, free or attached to the sporangial
wall, isolated or combined into a net; spores generally some shade of
yellow, never purple or black.

The distinguishing feature in this order is found in the peculiar
sculpture of the capillitial threads. This is suggested by the tubules
of _Lycogala_, though probably the resemblance is superficial only. The
individual threads, as in _Trichia_, are called elaters, from their
probable efficiency in spore-dispersal.

As here limited, the order is coextensive with the _Calonemeae_ of
Rostafinski, except that that includes in addition the genera
_Prototrichia_ and _Dianema_. The course of differentiation may be
assumed to start with _Dianema_, through the _Perichaenaceae_ to the
_Arcyriaceae_ and again from the same starting-point through
_Prototrichia_ to the _Trichiaceae_.

=Key to the Families of the Trichiales=

_A._ Capillitial threads trans