Badhamia 23 



longer threads. Plasmodiocarps of Physarum Serpula and P. sul- 

 phureum var. sessile may also resemble B. decipiens superficially. 



10. Badhamia macrocarpa (Ces.) Rost. Mon. 143. 1874. 



Physarum macrocarpon Ces. in Klotzsch, Herb. Viv. Myc. no. 1968. 1854. 

 [Flora 38: 271. 1855.] 



Plasmodium white (Lister). Sporangia scattered or united in 

 small clusters, sessile or stalked, subglobose, 0.5 to 1 mm. diam., 

 white, rugose; sporangial wall membranous with scanty or abun- 

 dant included lime-granules. Stalk firm, about half the total 

 height, furrowed, yellow, or brown with refuse matter. Capil- 

 litium an irregular network, charged throughout with white lime- 

 granules, and with a few short, connecting threads. Spores free, 

 with thick walls, dark purplish brown, spinulose, 11-15 ix diam. 



Type locality: Europe. 



Habitat: On dead wood. 



Distribution: Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Maine, New 

 Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Pennsylvania, West 

 Virginia. 



Illustration: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 8, figs. a-c. 



This species is not common in North America, and typical 

 examples are rare. It forms small developments, more often 

 sessile, and prefers a sheltered habitat such as the middle of a 

 wood pile. It merges into B. panicea, and when there are no 

 other characters prominent enough, the distinction must be based 

 on the spores; this is sometimes unsatisfactory, as the spores may 

 approach those of the latter species. The spores, in typical 

 examples, are much darker and more strongly spinulose than those 

 of B. panicea. Often the spines are irregularly arranged with 

 smooth intervals between patches of spines, or the spores may be 

 slightly paler on one side. Small portions of a fruiting of B. af- 

 finis, that do not show the characteristic, flattened sporangia, are 

 often difiicult to separate. Likewise, with sessile sporangia of 

 Physarum notabile, having large and dark spores. Swelling and 

 examination of the spores should be made in water, as the use of 

 an alkali alters the color, and tends to an incorrect conception 

 of its shade. riie sporangia of B. macrocarpa do not have the 

 reddish bases indicative of the red hypothallus and stalks of 

 B. panicea. 



