Chapter II: OPHIOTHECA, Currey. Plasmodiocarp terete and more or less elongated,

bent and flexuous, sometimes annular or reticulate, the surface not polished or shining: the wall a thin membrane, with a thin outer layer of minute scales and granules, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of very slender loosely-branched threads, with the surface minutely warted and spinulose. Spores globose, oval or somewhat irregular, yellow.

Distinguished from Perichæna by the terete plasmodiocarp and by the more spinulose capillitium. _Cornuvia_ of Rostafinski.

1. OPHIOTHECA CHRYSOSPERMA, Currey. Plasmodiocarp globose or oblong to elongated, and bent or flexuous, sometimes annular or branched and reticulate, dull brown in color; the wall a thin yellowish membrane, with a thin yellow-brown outer layer, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of slender loosely-branched threads, 2-3 mic. in thickness, the surface minutely spinulose. Spores subglobose, yellow, 8-9 mic. in diameter.

Growing on the inner surface of old bark of Quercus, etc. Plasmodiocarp .4-.5 mm. in thickness, variable in length. _Cornuvia circumscissa_ of Rostafinski's monograph.

2. OPHIOTHECA WRIGHTII, B. & C. Plasmodiocarp more or less elongated, bent and flexuous, very commonly in small rings, from brownish-ochre to brown or blackish in color, not polished; the wall a thin yellow membrane, with a thin brown outer layer, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of slender loosely-branched threads, 2-3 mic. in thickness, furnished with numerous straight or bent long-pointed spinules. Spores subglobose, yellow, minutely warted, 10-12 mic. in diameter. See Plate I, Fig. 14.

Growing on the inside of bark of Acer, Carya, etc. Plasmodiocarp about .5 mm. in thickness, variable in length, often in small rings 1-2 mm. in diameter. The prickly threads are quite characteristic; the spinules are 3-5 mic. in length. _Hemiarcyria melanopeziza_, Speg., is evidently the same thing.

3. OPHIOTHECA VERMICULARIS, Schw. Plasmodiocarp terete and more or less elongated, bent and flexuous, sometimes annular or reticulate, the surface not polished, brownish in color; the wall a thin yellow membrane, covered on the outside by a more or less thickened brown layer of scales and granules, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of slender loosely branched threads, 2-3 mic. in thickness, the surface with minute warts and ridges. Spores subglobose, yellow, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on the inside of old bark. Plasmodiocarp about .4 mm. in thickness and various in length; in my specimens the sporangia are mostly small rings. The species looks exactly like _Ophiotheca Wrightii_, but the character of the threads is quite different.

4. OPHIOTHECA PALLIDA, B. & C. Plasmodiocarp terete, oblong or elongated annular and flexuous, the surface dull, pale ochraceous; the wall a thin pellucid membrane, minutely granulate, with a thin pale ochraceous outer layer, irregularly dehiscent. Capillitium of slender loosely-branched threads, 2-3 mic. in thickness, the surface minutely warted or spinulose. Spores subglobose, pale yellow, 10-12 mic. in diameter.

Growing on dead stems of herbaceous plants. Plasmodiocarp .3-.4 mm. in thickness, variable in length, sometimes short and roundish or oblong, sometimes much elongated and flexuous. More delicate than _Ophiotheca vermicularis_, and distinguished by its pallid color throughout.

ORDER IV. ARCYRIACEÆ.

Sporangia regular and stipitate, rarely sessile; the wall a thin membrane, minutely granulose, colored as the spores and capillitium, the upper part soon torn away in a somewhat circumscissile manner, and early disappearing. Capillitium of slender tubules, repeatedly branching and anastomosing to form a complicated network of evident meshes, more or less expanded after dehiscence; the surface of the threads minutely warted or spinulose or with elevated ridges in the shape of rings, half rings or reticulations.

This order is specially distinguished by the threads of the capillitium forming a complicated network of evident meshes.

TABLE OF GENERA OF ARCYRIACEÆ.

1. LACHNOBOLUS. Capillitium of slender tubules, quite variable in thickness, proceeding from numerous points of the sporangial wall.

2. ARCYRIA. Capillitium of slender tubules, issuing from the interior of the stipe, the network without any free extremities.

3. HETEROTRICHIA. Capillitium issuing from the interior of the stipe, the peripheral portion of the network bearing numerous short acute free branches.