104 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
It will be within the recollection of members of the E.F.C. that
a few years ago Miss Lister directed attention to an abnormal
form found near Jack's Hill, Epping Forest.
Trichia contorta (Ditm.) Rost. and var. inconspicua Lister.
Sporangia of Trichia were frequently found on leaves, and
rarely on shreds of grass ; often one sporangium only occurred
on a leaf or leaflet, but sometimes a small group was gathered.
Most sporangia were sessile, but rarely there were very short
stalked and curved plasmodiocarp forms. After microscopic
examination I concluded that all these were either T. contorta
or its var. inconspicua.
Hemitrichia leiotricha Lister. About nine sporangia occurred
on two leaves in the copse where it has appeared before ; I
have found it nowhere else in Epping Forest. In mass the spores
are almost lemon yellow. On the translucent sporangium wall
are dark refuse deposits and scattered rings or curved "C"
marks.
Perichaena corticalis (Batsch.) Rost. Appears fairly often
on decaying bark of grey poplar, but was missed in the 1939-40
season.
Margarita metallica (Berk. & Br.) Lister. Eight or nine
sporangia occurred on five or six decayed and fragile leaves.
This is the second time I have gathered this species in Epping
Forest in 25 years. Although collected in December the
specimens had lost their pearl-like lustre when exhibited at a
meeting of the E.F.C. in late January.
Though some rare species seem to persist in the Warren
area, others have not reappeared there. Of five species added
to the County list from this district, only one was found in
1940-41.
Relatively small as the area is I do not claim to have worked
it thoroughly. In so favourable a season fruitful places should
have been worked over again ; that I was unable to do, and some
parts were scarcely worked at all. When results were very good
one searched only two or three yards in an hour.
I have had the invaluable assistance and advice of Miss Lister
in preparing these notes.
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