94 PLANTS FROM NEW CALEDONIA. 
MYCETOZOA, 
By G. Lister, F.L.S. 
Tue collection contains ten species. They were found in the high forest 
within thirty miles of Nouméa, and were all on dead wood except one which 
was on dead leaves. It is curious that prolonged search in these undis- 
turbed tropical woods should not have resulted in a larger number of species 
being obtained. Possibly the climate was too wet for their perfect develop- 
ment. Mr. Compton describes the forests remaining moist for long periods ; 
the plasmodia seemed rarely to form sporangia, and the latter soon beeame a 
prey to mould. He writes :—* Rotting logs lying across streams appear to 
be the most productive spots ; once I found four species on a single log, but 
all unpresentable things." In spite of these adverse circumstances the 
specimens collected are in beautiful condition ; they were preserved in an 
air-tight box, to the cork lining of which they were firmly fastened by pins. 
The following is a list of the species with notes on their characters and 
distribution :— 
PHYSARUM VIRIDE (Bull.) Pers., var. AURANTIUM Lister. A large develop- 
ment on dead wood ; the small hemispherical sporangia are on long, slender, 
pale stalks. This variety with orange-yellow sporangium-walls is far less 
common than the typical lemon-yellow form. 
Distribution, Europe, including the British Isles, South Nigeria, Borneo, 
New Zealand, Japan, North and South America. 
P. RoSEUM Berk. & Broome. A group of typical crimson sporangia with 
orange-brown stalks was found on dead wood, 
Distribution. Not common. South Nigeria, Ceylon, Java, Borneo, South 
Japan, | 
Dipymium NIGRIPES Fries. On dead leaves. This is the usual form with 
dark brown stalks and columellæ. 
Distribution, Abundant in temperate and tropical regions. 
STEMONITIS SPLENDENS Rost. A forest of sporangia 22 mm. high was 
found on dead wood covering an area of several square inches. The surface 
net of the capillitium shows an approach to that of 5. herbatica Peck in 
having rather angular and spinose meshes from 15-30 x in diameter. Found 
abundantly growing on tree-trunks a few feet above the ground, 
Distribution, Abundant in the tropics and in the United States of America ; 
less common in Europe. 
S. FERRUGINEA Ehrenb., var. VIOLACEA Meylan, in litt. This specimen 
consists of small scattered clusters of violet-brown sporangia, 5-6 mm. high, 
