Lamproderma 1 73 



iridescent; sporangial wall thin, membranous, somewhat per- 

 sistent at the base. Stalk subulate-setaceous, black, shining, 

 about half the total height, rising from a circular, purplish brown 

 hypothallus. Columella thick, tapering slightly to the obtuse 

 end, extending half way into the sporangium. Capillitium dense, 

 of rigid threads radiating in all directions from the apex of the 

 columella, dichotomously forking and branching, purplish brown 

 throughout from base to tips. Spores violet-brown, 10-12 /x 

 diam.," marked with large, sharp, scattered spines. (Plate 4.) 



Type locality: Colombia (New Granada). 



Habitat : On dead leaves. 



Distribution: New York, Pennsylvania. 



Illustration: Hagelstein, Mycologia 27: S7, figs. 1-3. 



Resembles L. scintillans, but the stalks are shorter and 

 stouter, the capillitium is dark throughout, not pale at the base, 

 and the spores are larger and coarsely spinose. 



4. Lamproderma columbinum (Pers.) Rost. Versuch 7. 1873. 



Physarum columbinum Pers. Ann. Bot. Usteri 15: 5. 1795. 

 Lamproderma physaroides Rost. Mon. 202. 1874. 



Plasmodium opaque white, rarely yellow (Lister). Total 

 height 2 to 3 mm. Sporangia globose, ellipsoid, or obovoid, gre- 

 garious, stalked, erect, 0.5 to 1 mm. diam., purplish black with 

 iridescent blue or purple reflections, or brassy; sporangial wall 

 membranous, persistent, purplish in the lower part, occasionally 

 mottled with darker shades. Stalk cylindrical, straight, 1.5 to 

 2 mm. high, purplish black, shining, longitudinally striate or 

 rugose, rising from a dark purplish hypothallus. Columella 

 cylindrical with a conical apex, or clavate, reaching to more than 

 half the height of the sporangium. Capillitium dense, of brown- 

 ish purple threads, radiating from the columella, sparingly forked 

 and anastomosing, towards the surface branching and forming a 

 delicate, nearly colorless network. Spores purple-gray, closely 

 spinulose, 11-14 /z diam. 



Var. gracile G. Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. 155. 1925. 



Plasmodium watery white (Lister). Sporangia obovoid- 

 cylindrical, obovoid, or subglobose, iridescent blue or purple; 

 stalks 2 to 3 mm. long, slender, subulate, often curved. 



Type locality: Europe. 



Habitat: On mosses, mossy stumps, logs, and rocks. 



