LiCEA 207 



6. Licea tenera Jahn, Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 36: 665. 1919. 



Plasmodium? Sporangia solitary or in groups, sessile, sub- 

 globose or ovoid, 0.4 to 0.5 mm. diam., shining olive-yellow; 

 sporangial wall a firm, pale olive or dull yellow membrane, hardly 

 cartilaginous, minutely areolated from spore impressions, with 

 scanty superficial deposits of refuse matter. Spores pale olive- 

 yellow, minutely spinulose, 10-12 ix diam., the wall thinner on 

 one side. 



Type locality: Germany. 



Habitat: On dead wood and dung. 



Distribution: *Iowa, Kansas, Ontario, *Oregon. 



Illustrations: Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 3. pi. 219, figs, h-k; 

 Jahn, Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Ges. 36: pi. 18, figs. 4-6. 



The description is that of Miss Lister, which is not a literal 

 translation of Jahn, and differs slightly but not materially. The 

 species is based upon a dozen or so sporangia that appeared in a 

 moist chamber development, and Prof. Jahn's description is 

 therefore confined to the single specimen. The species is repre- 

 sented here by three specimens, two on wood from Kansas, and 

 the other on dung from Brazil, developed in Ontario; and all in 

 moist chambers. The determination of One of the Kansas speci- 

 mens was confirmed by Prof. Jahn. The three specimens are 

 similar, and do not agree with the descriptions, as the sporangia 

 are minute, mainly about 0.1 mm. diam., and the walls are thickly 

 coated with dark, refuse matter making them appear black. The 

 spores are about 10 m diam., spinulose but seem to have no pale 

 or thin areas. The species is not well understood because of the 

 limited number of collections so far reported. The conditions 

 probably are the same as in many species with superficial de- 

 posits of lime or refuse matter. If the attachment to the wall is 

 weak, and the conditions are too wet during the formation of 

 sporangia, the lime or refuse matter will be washed from the walls, 

 leaving them bare. 



Doubtful species: 



Licea fimicola Dearn. & Bisby; Bisby, Buller & Dearn. Fungi Manit. 52. 

 1929, is not included in this treatment of the genus Licea. The portion 

 of the type development in the Herbarium of the New York Botanical 

 Garden {no. 7647), kindly furnished by Dr. John Dearness, has but a 

 single sporangium and insufificient for critical study. The form is un- 

 known except from laboratory cultures made by the authors. Macbride 



