DIDERMA 125 



Berk. & Curt., and the species was distributed under that name in 

 Fendler, Venezuela Fungi, but the name was never published. 

 Venezuela; Hungary, South Africa, Ceylon, Java. 



5. Diderma simplex {Schroet) List. 



Mycetozoa ed. 2. 107. 

 PL VIII, Figs. 182, 183. 



1885. Chondrioderma simplex Schroet., in Cohn, Krypt.-Fl. Schles. 3 (1) : 123. 



Sporangia gregarious, sessile, globose or depressed-globose, 0.3-0.5 

 mm. in diameter, or sometimes plasmodiocarpous; brown or brick-red 

 when fresh, fading to ochraceous with age; hypothallus everywhere in 

 evidence; columella ill-defined; capillitium scanty, the threads delicate, 

 pale, branching as they join the peridial wall; spores dull violaceous, 

 slightly roughened, 8-10 /*. Plasmodium yellow-brown. 



A rather crude, primitive representative of this beautiful genus. The 

 inner peridium seems to be lacking — a comfort to Rostafmski ! Rare. 

 Our best specimens are from New Jersey, by courtesy of Dr. C. L. 

 Shear. These went to fruit on leaves and branches of Vaccinium. It 

 seems to affect the heather of Europe, moorland, etc. We have also 

 specimens from the herbarium of Mr. Bilgram. In no American gather- 

 ing examined does the capillitium show calcareous thickenings as 

 described by the British text. Meylan suggests that the American 

 forms are specifically distinct from those of Europe. 



The var. echinulatum Meylan is described as having bright yellow 

 sporangium and columella and more spinulose spores. 



Rare in North America— New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsyl- 

 vania, North Carolina, Chile; Europe. 



6. Diderma spumarioldes Fries 



Syst. Myc. 3 : 104. 1829. 

 PI. VIII, Figs. 184, 185. 



1818. Didymium spumarioldes Fr., Symb. Gast. 20. 



1833. Physarum stromateum Link, Handb. 3 : 409. 



1849. Carcerina spumarioldes Fr., Summ. Veg. Scand. 451. 



1875. Chondrioderma spumarioldes (Fr.) Rost., Mon. 174. 



1876. Chondrioderma stromateum (Lk.) Rost., Mon. App. 18. 

 1892. Chondrioderma virgineum Massee, Mon. 207. 



1894. Diderma stromateum (Lk.) Morgan, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist. 



16 : 152. 

 1894. Diderma clnereum Morgan, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist. 16 : 154. 



