CHAPTER XVI 



MYXOMYCETES AND SCHIZOPHYTES 



MYXOMYCETES 



An organism large enough to be seen with the naked eye and so pe- 

 cuhar that biologists do not know whether it is a plant or an animal, 

 should be studied by both botanists 

 and zoologists. In the sporangium 

 stage of its life-history, the organ- 

 ism looks and behaves like a plant; 

 in the Plasmodium stage, it looks 

 and behaves like an animal. Writers 

 who think these organisms are 

 plants, call them myxomycetes; 

 those who think they are animals, 

 call them mycetozoa. 



With the exception of a few forms 

 like Fuligo (often found on oak, 

 stumps and on oak bark in tan- 

 yards), the myxomycetes are small, 

 and are usually overlooked by col- 

 lectors (Fig. 36). A careful exami- 

 nation of rotting logs in moist 

 woods will usually reveal an abun- 

 dance of these delicate and beauti- 

 ful organisms. Various species may 

 be found in spring, summer, and 

 autumn. The plasmodia are most 

 abundant just after a warm shower. 

 A couple of days of dry weather 

 will then bring sporangia in abun- 

 dance. The specimens should be 

 pinned to the bottom of the box 

 for safe carrying. An excellent collecting-box can be made from an 

 ordinary paper shoe-box. On the bottom of the box place a thin piece 

 of soft pine, or a piece of the corrugated paper so commonly used 



199 



Fig. 36. — Trichia, a myxomycete. A, hab- 

 it of a group of sporangia growing on rotten 

 wood. Natural size. B, single sporangium 

 with some of the rotten wood. The dots repre- 

 sent fairly well the size and distribution of the 

 nuclei at this stage. X70. C, D, and E, succes- 

 sive stages, much later than B, showing con- 

 densation of the wall, origin of elaters.(Z)), and 

 mature sporangium (E). Preparation stained 

 in safranin, gentian violet, orange. X320. 



