LiCEA 203 



Illustration: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 147. 



Of all the described varieties of this species, var. fuscum is 

 here regarded as the only one of sufficient importance to recog- 

 nize. It is not rare, and may occur in any area, and is very con- 

 stant in its characters so that even colonies which approach the 

 typical form may be readily separated. The other varieties are 

 extremely rare, only one or two authentic collections in each 

 having been reported from North America. From examples of 

 these varieties in the Herbarium of the New York Botanical 

 Garden it appears that in those based on a more or less irregular 

 net, the developments are abnormal, or have formed under un- 

 favorable conditions of environment. Often, similar forms are 

 found in otherwise normal colonies. Varieties based on length 

 of stalk, shape of the sporangia and their color, or the develop- 

 ment of the cup, are hardly worth recognition in this variable 

 species, where such variations are common, but not constant or 

 combined as in var. fuscum. 



Family II. LICEACEAE 



Sporangia scattered, sessile or stalked; sporangial wall car- 

 tilaginous or membranous; capillitium and columella wanting. 



Sporangia sessile, subglobose or forming plasmodiocarps, 



opening irregularly or by lobes. 29. Licea 



Sporangia stalked or sessile, opening by a membranous lid. 30. Orcadella 



Genus 29. LICEA Schrader, Nov. Gen. PI. 16. 1797. 



Sporangia sessile, subglobose, hemispherical, or forming plas- 

 modiocarps; sporangial wall cartilaginous or membranous; spores 

 olive-brown or brownish yellow, lilac-brown, or nearly colorless; 

 dehiscence irregular or by lobes. 



Type species: Licea pusilla Schrad. 



Sporangial wall cartilaginous. 



Sporangia hemispherical, dehiscing in lobes; spores brown, 



9-12 /i. 1. L. minima 



Sporangia subglobose or bolster-shaped, dehiscing in lobes; 



spores almost colorless, 8-10 n. 2. L. castanea 



Sporangia pulvinate, dehiscing in irregular lobes; spores 



13-20 M. 3. L. pusilla 



Plasmodiocarps elongate, 1 to 6 mm. long, dehiscing irregu- 

 larly. , 4. L. flexuosa 



