This species is well recognized at sight, among the fuscous forms, by its scattered, erect habit. In color it is not unlike S. fusca, but has an added reddish tinge. In form it is peculiar by virtue of the blunt rounded apex which seems to be a constant character. The spores under moderate lens are perfectly smooth, under the 1–12 they present very delicate low scattered papillæ.
Rare; eastern part of United States.
15. Stemonitis carolinensis Macbr.
[Plate XIII.], Fig. 5.
- 1894. Stemonitis tenerrima Berk. & C., Morg., Jour. Cin. Soc., p. 53.
- 1899. Stemonitis carolinensis Macbr., nom. nov., N. A. S., p. 152.
- 1911. Stemonitis pallida Wing., Lister, Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., p. 149.
Sporangia tufted in scattered clusters, small, slender, cylindric but tapering from the apex, at first ferruginous then ashen or purplish, stipitate; the stipe short, black and shining, one-fourth the total height or less, even; hypothallus well developed, black or very dark brown; columella black, gradually diminishing, at length dissipated some distance below the clavate or acuminate apex of the sporangium; capillitium dense, the inner of many, scarcely expanded, pallid, freely anastomosing branches, the outer a net of very small meshes, often less than the spores, 3–15 µ, peridial processes imperceptible; spore-mass pale ferruginous, spores by transmitted light pale violaceous brown, smooth, 6–7 µ.
Very closely related to the preceding, but recognizable by its proportionately much more slender, taller, acuminate sporangia, paler, and denser capillitium and the remarkably close-meshed net.
Not uncommon south: Kentucky, Alabama.
16. Stemonitis herbatica Pk.
[Plate XVI.], Figs. 14, 14 a, 14 b