Comatricha typhoides

This is probably the most common species in the genus in Ontario.  The fruitbodies (sporangia) of Comatricha typhoides are up to 6 mm tall.  It is recognized by the silvery outer wall (= peridium) that tends to persist and give the sporangium a patchy look.   It has the appearance of a small Stemonitis.  In both Comatricha and Stemonitis the stalk extends into the sporangial head as a central support column (= columella).   A branching capillitium, arising from the columella, supports the spore mass.  In Comatricha the ends of the branches remain free which gives it a raggedy look under a 10X hand lens ( if you blow all the spores away!).  In Stemonitis, on the other hand, the ends of the branches of the capillitum are joined to form a surface net.

Young sporangia of Comatricha

  Return HOME