FUL1GO 23 



I. FULIGO OVATA (Scfiaeff.') Macbr. 



PLATE X., Figs. 2, 2 a, 2b. 



1753. Mucor septicus Linn., Sp. PI. II., No. 1656 (?). 



1763. Mucor ovatus Schaeff., Fung. J3av., p. 132, Fig. 192. 



1791. Fill/go septica (Linn.) Gmel., Syst. Nat., p. 1466. 



1826. Fuligo varians Sommf., Fl. Lapl. Sup., p. 231. 



1809. j/EthaUum flavum Link, Diss., I., p. 42. 



1829. sEthalinm septicum Fr., Syst. Afyc., III., p. 93. 



1875. Fuligo varians Sommf., Rost., Mon., p. 134. 



Plasmodium bright yellow ; aethalium pale brown or yellowish 

 brown, of variable size and shape, one to five inches in diameter, 

 and one-half an inch to an inch thick, enclosed by a distinct 

 calcareous crust, which varies greatly in texture, thickness, and 

 color, anon brown, stout, persistent, sometimes thin, bright 

 yellow, scarce recognizable ; capillitium well developed but 

 variable in color and extent ; spore-mass dull black, sooty ; 

 spores spherical, purplish brown, smooth, 7-10 /A. 



Very common in summer, June to September, everywhere. 

 On sultry summer days the yellow plasmodium may be found 

 abundant, streaming over rotten straw or other refuse, about 

 barns, wooden pavements, walks, etc., even in towns and near 

 the homes of men. In the woods likewise abounding; on rotten 

 logs, stumps, leaf-heaps, everywhere ; in fruiting, climbing from 

 its nutritive base and occupying some elevated position, several 

 feet up on the stem of a living tree, for instance. In such a 

 case the cortex and hypothallus are generally well developed. 

 In size the aethalia seem limited only by the condition of ade- 

 quate food supply. Specimens one foot in diameter have been 

 reported. Our largest plasmodia spread over perhaps a foot 

 square ; our largest fruiting mass is four inches by six and 

 one-half. 



New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Caro- 

 linas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, 

 Indiana, Ohio, Canada, Pacific Coast. 



Rostafinski wrote Fuligo varians Sommerfelt, admitting at 

 the same time the priority of many another combination, but 

 preferring, as he says, Sommerfelt's name, because he judged 



