Plasmodiocarp elongate, bent and curved in various ways, spherical, more rarely annular or even reticulate, yellowish or ochraceous brown, opening irregularly; peridium thin, with yellowish outer layer; capillitium rather abundant, of threads slender, sparingly branched and minutely but distinctly spinulose; spore-mass yellow, spores by transmitted light pale, almost smooth, about 8 µ.
Occurs on the inner bark of deciduous trees, especially of oak. Not common.
This is possibly Cornuvia circumscissa (Wallr.) of Rostafinski's monograph; but it is doubtful to what Wallroth referred. Rostafinski's other citations are equally uncertain. Currey's figures and description alone merit recognition.
Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee; Canada.
3. Ophiotheca wrightii Berk.
[Plate II]., Figs. 7, 7 a, 7 b.
- 1868. Ophiotheca wrightii Berk. & C., Jour. Linn. Soc., X., p. 349.
- 1876. Cornuvia wrightii (Berk. & C.) Rost., Mon. App., p. 36.
- 1892. Cornuvia wrightii (Berk. & C.) Macbr., Bull. Lab. Nat. Hist. Ia., II., p. 122.
- 1911. Perichaena chrysosperma Lister, Mycetozoa, 2nd ed., p. 248.
Plasmodiocarp bent or short-flexuous, often arcuate or completely annular, dark chestnut brown or black, opening irregularly; peridium thin, brittle, translucent, covered without by a rather dense layer of brownish or black brown scales; capillitium of long, sparingly branched threads furnished with projecting spinules remarkable for their length, about twice the diameter of the thread; spores yellow, minutely but distinctly warted, about 12 µ.
This is the common species everywhere on the inner side of the bark of fallen trees, Ulmus, etc. It is readily distinguished at sight by the peculiar annular, looped, and U-shaped plasmodiocarps, with their dark umbrine or blackened surface. From the preceding it is especially distinguished by the spinulose capillitium and larger spores.
Not rare. New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio.