13. Trichia decipiens (Pers.) Macbr.

[Plate IV]., Figs. 2, 2 a, 2 b.

Sporangia gregarious, sometimes closely so, sometimes scattered, turbinate, shining olive or olivaceous brown, stipitate; stipe generally elongate, concolorous above, dark brown below, hollow, i. e. filled with spore-like cells; capillitial mass yellowish or olivaceous yellow, the elaters perfectly smooth, long fusiform, tapering gradually to the long, slender taeniate apices, simple or often branched, adorned with spirals three, which wind evenly but somewhat distantly; spore-mass olivaceous or ochraceous, spores under the lens, pale, minutely delicately reticulate, 10–12 µ.

One of our largest and most common species, in form and size resembling H. clavata, but immediately distinguished by its color. The capillitium is like that of T. botrytis, but differs in the more open sculpture and the longer and smoother unwound tips. The episporic net is a constant character in all the specimens examined. This feature reminds of T. scabra.

This is, of course, our familiar T. fallax of all authors from Persoon down. The earliest unmistakable reference to this species is Hedwig, l. c. But Batsch, in 1789, had used the same combination to describe a real puff-ball, so that Hedwig's name was already a synonym. The specific name here adopted is next in point of priority, although Persoon discarded it the year following, substituting fallax, because he had mistaken the genus.

Not rare. New England, Toronto; west to the Black Hills and Washington, Oregon, California, south to the Carolinas and Kansas; Jalapa, Mexico.

14. Trichia lateritia Lév.