148 THE NORTH AMERICAN SLIME-MOULDS 



persistent by the base ; spores yellow brown in mass, globose or 

 oval, even, 9-12 /u, 



Minute but perfectly regular, almost uniform corneous look- 

 ing sporangia are thickly strewn over the inner surface of de- 

 caying bark. Each, at first elongate, pointed at each end, 

 opens at length by fissure along the upper side setting free the 

 minute yellowish spores. Unlike anything else ; reminding one, 

 at first sight, of some species of Glonium. 



Inside bark of Liriodendron. Ohio, Canada. 



4. LICEA MINIMA Fries. 



1829. Licea minima Fries, Syst. Myc., III., p. 199. 



Sporangia gregarious, umber brown, spherical or hemispheri- 

 cal, sessile ; the peridium opaque, brown, opening along pre- 

 figured lines, forming segments with dotted margins, ultimately 

 widely reflexed ; spores in mass dark brown, by transmitted 

 light paler with olive tints, minutely roughened, 10-11 //,. 



The very minute sporangia, 3 mm., of this species cause it 

 to be overlooked generally by collectors. Nevertheless, it may 

 be found on decaying soft woods, in August, probably around 

 the world. The number of sporangia produced by one plasmo- 

 dium is in Iowa also small. The larger specimens might be 

 mistaken for species of PericJicena, but are easily distinguished 

 by the regular and lobate dehiscence. The plasmodium is yellow. 



New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Iowa. 



5. LYCEA PUSILLA ScJirader. 



1797. Licea pusilla SchracL, Nov. Gen. P/., p. 19, tab. VI., f. 4. 



Sporangia scattered, gregarious, depressed globose, sessile 

 on a flattened base, dark brown, shining, .5-1 mm. ; peridium 

 thin, dark colored, translucent, dehiscent above by regular seg- 

 ments ; spore-mass almost black, spores by transmitted light 

 olivaceous brown, smooth, or nearly so, 15-17 p. 



Rostafinski placed this with the Physarums on account of the 

 dark-colored spores, Protoderma pusilla Rost. The absence of 

 capillitial threads and lime makes such reference unnatural. 



