78 THE MYXOMYCETES 



and out of our story in most uncertain fashion. Beginning with Fries, 

 as noted, it received confirmation at the hands of de Bary, and by 

 Rostafinski was given priority over a long list of synonyms, and figured. 

 The earlier English authors follow Rostafinski, but for Lister in the 

 Mycetozoa, 51, the species becomes a synonym of T. alba as P. nutans, 

 the description appropriately enlarged to receive it. Meantime 

 American students generally confused it with the tilmadoches on the 

 one hand and P. nefroideum Rost. (supposed) on the other. In 1897, 

 Robert Fries in Sver. Myxom. Flora, brings the species again to view 

 as copartner with P. nutans. In the Mycetozoa, 1st and 3rd editions, 

 it appears as a variety of the same, in the 2nd edition as a subspecies. 



The resemblance of P. album or P. nutans is chiefly, as intimated, a 

 matter of definition ; real differences are found in the irregular capilli- 

 tium, fitting a globose sporangium, in the character of the stipe and the 

 consequent pose. See under P. nutans and P. notabile. 



If the species is to be maintained as distinct, as we believe it should 

 be, and if Trichia filamentosa Trentep. is correctly regarded as syn- 

 onymous, that specific name should have preference. 



Widely distributed, especially in temperate regions. 



54. Physarum maculatum Macbr. 



Bull. Nat. Hist. S. U. Iowa 2 : 383. 1893. 

 1911. Physarum tenerum Rex ex Lister, Mycetozoa ed. 2. 52, in part. 



Sporangia scattered or gregarious, very small, 0.3-0.4 mm., dull 

 gray, thin-walled, dotted with minute, white calcareous granules, 

 stipitate; stipe long, about 2 mm., stout, attenuated upward, striate 

 longitudinally or wrinkled, filled with irregular yellow masses of lime 

 and accordingly bright yellow in color; columella none; capillitium 

 forming a dense net, with comparatively small yellow nodular thicken- 

 ings; spores globose, purplish, each minutely papillose and displaying 

 several scattered spots occasioned by local development of the papilla? ; 

 diameter of the spores 9-10 /*. 



This species was set up for the reception of certain material collected 

 by Professor Shimek, in 1892, in Nicaragua. It remains so far unique. 

 The small globose sporangium mounted upon a long upwardly taper- 

 ing stipe, 0.5 mm. thick below, but narrowed at the extreme base where 

 it is lightly attached, a stem which is simply a sack stuffed with yellow 

 lime granules; — this and the yellow capillitium are distinguishing 

 features. The capillitium and spores suggest Physarum viride, but 

 the entire habit precludes such reference. Perhaps nearest to P. mel- 

 leum. 



Miss Lister thinks this the same as P. tenerum Rex. But the whole 



