Sporangia tufted, generally in medium-sized clusters much as in S. fusca. The individual sporangium 7–9 mm. high, dark, slender, brown, becoming dull black or pallid as the spores are lost, stipitate, the stipe about one-fourth to one-third the total height, black polished shining; hypothallus distinct, common to all sporangia, purple-brown, shining; columella distinct, attaining almost the summit of the sporangium but inclined to waver a little at last, in other words, flexuose toward the top, freely branching, the branches rather stout, anastomosing to support the capillitial net; the meshes larger, several times the spore-diameter, the spores sooty-brown, distinctly warted or spinulescent, about 7–8 µ, clustered in groups of four or more.
Mt. Rainier, Washington,—1914.
5. Stemonitis dictyospora Rost.
- 1873. Stemonitis dictyospora Rost., Mon., p. 195; Myc. Fen., pp. 114, 122.
- 1879. Stemonitis dictyospora Rost., Mass., Mon., p. 83(?).
- 1888. Stemonitis dictyospora Rost., Sacc. Syl. Fung., Vol. VII., p. 397.
- 1893. Stemonitis castillensis Macbr., Nat. Hist. Bull., Vol. 11, p. 381. Plate X., Figs. 5, 5 a, 5 b.
Sporangia crowded in colonies of unusual size, 4–8 cm., tall, rigid 18–25 mm., slender, erect, stipitate, black throughout; the columella prominent, reaching nearly to the apex, abundantly branched, the branches forming an intricate dark brown capillitium; the net large-meshed several times the spore-diameter; the spores reticulate, spinulose, clear violet, 7–8 µ.
We here recover as is believed one of Rostafinski's best-described species. Our material is from Nicaragua, by kindness of Professor Shimek. Its relationship is with S. fusca where Rostafinski placed it. The phrase describing spore-color is his.
6. Stemonitis nigrescens Rex.
- 1891. Stemonitis nigrescens Rex, Proc. Phil. Acad., p. 392.
- 1911. Stemonitis fusca Roth, Lister, Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., p. 143.
Sporangia gregarious, upon a common hypothallus, erect, small, cylindric, stipitate; stipe black, extremely short, about half a millimetre; columella reaching the apex; capillitium violet-black, darker near the surface, forming a complete superficial net at the lower part of the sporangium only, elsewhere irregular or vanishing; spore-mass nearly black; single spores violet-black under the lens, the epispore spinulose and reticulate, about 8 µ.
The author of this species remarks: "This species is noteworthy for its comparatively short stipes, its very spinulose spores, and its black or nearly black color, the slight violet tint being only apparent on close inspection, especially in fresh moist specimens."