180 Mycetozoa of North America 



a single species. 



The description is that of Gilbert. It seems to be an unneces- 

 sary genus. There is not a single broad character required for a 

 genus, so that other forms may be included therein. The de- 

 scription is a combination of minor specific characters, and the two 

 species proposed, which have only trifling differences, might well 

 be included as a single species in either the genus Comatricha or 

 the genus Barbeyella, which now have forms closely resembling 

 them. Barbeyella is not represented by collections from North 

 America. Little material of Machrideola is available, as it ap- 

 pears the forms have been obtained only in moist chamber de- 

 velopments. The genus is retained tentatively, pending further 

 study when more material is obtained, preferably in natural 

 developments, which may show differences. 



1. Macbrideola scintillans Gilb. Univ. la. Stud. Nat. Hist. 16: 

 156. 1934. (N. Y. B. G. 7io. 6880, type material.) 



Machrideola decapillata Gilb. Univ. la. Stud. Nat. Hist. 16: 158. 1934. 



Plasmodium? Sporangia scattered, globose, dark brown or 

 metallic bronze, 75-125 ^ diam.; stipe tapering, translucent, 

 appearing hollow, yellow at the base, brown above, continuing 

 into the sporangium, 50-100 /x long; peridium thin, shining, trans- 

 lucent, tough, strongly attached to the columella; columella taper- 

 ing, reaching the apex where it fuses with the peridium ; capillitium 

 lacking; spores globose, thick-walled, brown, marked with large 

 warts irregular in shape and distribution, 8-9 m diam. 



Type locality: Iowa (moist chamber). 



Habitat: On bark of living trees. 



Distribution: Iowa, Kansas. 



Illustration: Gilb. Univ. la. Stud. Nat. Hist. 16: 157, yEg. 2; 



i58,y^g. J. 



The author writes in reference to M. decapillata, "the small 

 size, long stipe and evanescent peridium set this form apart from 

 M. scintillans.'' This is hardly sufficient to erect a separate 

 species. The description of M. decapillata contains only minor 

 difTerences, observed in almost every species of the Mycetozoa. 



Family III. ELAEOMYXACEAE 



Sporangia distinct, provided with a waxy or oily substance. 

 A single genus. 



