PHYSARUM 47 



ium, except a small part below, all falls away, leaving the 

 capillitium apparently intact, crowded with spores. 



From New England to Iowa; Canada, south to Louisiana 

 and Mexico. 



24. PHYSARUM MACULATUM Macbr. 



PLATE XIV., Figs. 6, 6 a, 6 b. 

 1893. Bull. Lab. Nat. Hist. Iowa, II., p. 383. 



Sporangia scattered or gregarious, very small, dull gray, 

 thin-walled, dotted with minute calcareous granules, stipitate ; 

 stipe long, stout, attenuated upward, striate longitudinally or 

 wrinkled, filled with irregular yellow masses of lime and accord- 

 ingly bright yellow in color ; columella none ; capillitium forming 

 a dense net, with comparatively small yellow nodular thicken- 

 ings ; spores globose, purplish, each minutely papillose and 

 displaying several scattered spots occasioned by local develop- 

 ment of papillae ; diameter of the spores 910 fi. 



This species was set up for the reception of certain material 

 collected by Professor Shimek, in 1892, in Nicaragua. It remains 

 so far unique. The small globose sporangium mounted upon 

 a long upwardly tapering stipe, which is simply a sack stuffed 

 with yellow lime granules, and the yellow capillitium are 

 distinguishing features. The capillitium and spores suggest 

 TilmadocJie viride, but the entire habit precludes such reference. 

 Perhaps nearest to P. melleum. 



Castillo, Nicaragua. 



25. PHYSARUM MELLEUM (Berk, and Br.} Mass. 



1873. Dydymium melleitm Berk, and Br., Jour. Linn. Sot:., XIV., p. 83. 



1873. Didymium chrysopeplum Berk, and Curt., Grev., II., p. 53. 



1876. Physarum schumacheri Spr. var. melleum Rost., Man., App., p. 7. 



1892. Physarum melleum Massee, Mon., p. 278. 



1896. Cytidium melleum (Berk, and Br.), Morgan, Jour. Chi. S0c., p. 83. 



Sporangia scattered, stipitate, globose, flattened below, clear 

 yellow or honey colored ; stipe short, about equalling the spo- 

 rangium, pure white, somewhat wrinkled ; columella small but 



