upper part of the columella; these
threads are brown below, with a variable outer portion colorless; they
branch a few times and form an interior network of elongated meshes,
outwardly arching and freely anastomosing they give rise to an external
network of small irregular meshes, they then attain the wall by
innumerable short, simple, or forked free branchlets. Spores globose,
minutely spinulose, violaceous, 9-11 mic. in diameter. See plate XI, Fig
27.

Growing on old wood, mosses, etc., late in Autumn. Sporangium .5-.8 mm.
in diameter, the stipe about the same length. The capillitium is
sometimes most of it colorless and flaccid; sometimes it is all brown
and rigid except the minute free extremities.

4. LAMPRODERMA ARCYRIOIDES, Somm. Sporangium globose or ellipsoid, and
somewhat elongated; the wall with tints of violet, purple, and blue,
deciduous. Stipe usually short, or sometimes nearly obsolete, brown or
blackish in color, arising from a strongly-developed hypothallus; the
columella cylindric or slightly tapering upward, and obtuse, reaching
nearly to the center of the sporangium. Capillitium of numerous
pale-brown threads, radiating from the apex of the columella; these fork
directly from the base, are bent and flexuous, and are combined into a
dense, intricate net, with abundant free extremities. Spores globose,
spinulose, violaceous, 13-16 mic. in diameter.

Growing on old leaves, wood, etc. Sporangium .5-.8 mm. in diameter, the
stipe variable in length from very short to 1 mm. long or beyond.
_Lamproderma columbinum_, Pers. is a doubtful species, the forms of that
name being easily distributed between the present species and _L.
physaroides_.

5. LAMPRODERMA SCINTILLANS, B. & Br. Sporangium globose; the wall
shining with colors of blue, purple, and bronze, deciduous. Stipe long,
slender, smooth, and shining, brown or blackish, rising from a thin,
brown, common hypothallus; columella cylindric or slightly tapering to
the obtuse apex, not reaching the center of the sporangium. Capillitium
of numerous brown threads, originating about the apex of the columella;
these fork several times, with few anastomosing branchlets, and
terminate at the wall in long, free extremities. Spores globose,
minutely warted, violaceous, 7-9 mic. in diameter. See Plate XI, Fig.
28.

Growing on old leaves, moss, etc., in early Spring. Sporangium .3-.5 mm.
in diameter, the stipe from once to twice as long. This is _Lamproderma
ir