| A. Hypothallus well developed, but not conspicuous. | ||
| a. Pseudo-columellæ none | 1. T. ferruginosa | |
| b. Pseudo-columellæ present at least in many of the tubules | 2. T. casparyi | |
| B. Hypothallus prominent, columnar | 3. T. stipitata | |
1. Tubifera ferruginosa (Batsch) Macbr.
[Plate I.], Fig. 4; [Plate VII.], Fig. 8; [Plate XII.], Fig. 14.
- 1786. Stemonitis ferruginosa Batsch, Elench., p. 261, Fig. 175.
- 1791. Sphaerocarpus cylindricus Bull., Champ., p. 140, t. 470, III.
- 1791. Tubifera ferruginosa Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1472 (ex parte).
- 1805. Tubulina cylindrica (Bull.) DC., Fl. Fr., 671.
- 1875. Tubulina cylindrica (Bull.) Rost., Mon., p. 220.
- 1894. Tubulina fragiformis (Pers.) Lister, Mycetozoa, p. 153.
Sporangia crowded, cylindric or prismatic, elongate, connate, more or less distinct above, pale umber-brown, generally simple though occasionally branched above, the peridia thin, sometimes fragile, but generally persistent, transparent, iridescent; hypothallus strongly developed, spongiose, white, often projecting beyond the æthalioid mass of sporangia; spore-mass umber-brown or ferruginous; spores by transmitted light almost colorless, plainly reticulate over three-fourths of the surface, 6–7 µ.
Not rare on old logs, mosses, etc., from Maine to Alaska. Apparently more common north than south. Easily known by its long, tubular sporangia packed with rusty spores and destitute of any trace of columella or capillitium, the hypothallus explanate, rather thick, but not columnar. A single plasmodium may give rise to one or several colonies, at first watery or white, then red, of somewhat varying shades, then finally umber-brown. These colors were noticed by all the older authors, but very inaccurately; thus a white plasmodium is the basis for Tubifera cylindrica (Bull.) Gmel., a roseate plasmodium for Tubifera fragiformis (Bull.) Gmel., and the mature fructification for Tubifera ferruginosa (Batsch) Gmel. Rostafinski adopted a specific name given by Bulliard, but Batsch has clear priority.
The peridia are sometimes accuminate, and widely separate above. This is Persoon's T. fragiformis. In most cases, however, the peridia are connate throughout, and sometimes present above a membranous common covering. This is T. fallax of Persoon; Licea cylindrica (Bull.) Fries. In forms with thicker peridia, the walls often show the granular markings characteristic of the entire Anemeae.
2. Tubifera stipitata (Berk. & Rav.) Macbr.
- 1858. Licea stipitata Berk. & Rav., Am. Acad., IV., p. 125.[39]
- 1868. Licea stipitata Berk. & Rav., Jour. Linn. Soc., X., p. 350.
- 1875. Tubulina stipitata (Berk. & Rav.) Rost., p. 223.
Sporangia crowded in a globose or more or less hemispheric, expanded head, borne upon a spongy, stem-like, sulcate hypothallus 3–4 mm. high, their apices rounded, their walls very thin, evanescent; spores in mass umber-brown, small, about 5 µ, the epispore reticulate as in the preceding species.